site.btaAlmost 200 Fires Per Day in Bulgaria in June, Most Were Caused by Human Activity - Fire Service Director

Since the beginning of June, the number of fires in Bulgaria has almost reached 200 per day, said Tuesday Fire Safety and Protection of the Population (FSPP) Director Alexander Dzhartov.

The number continues to increase as weather gets hotter. "Compared to last year, we have 1,000 more accidents at the moment", Dzhartov said, adding that there are more than 1,000 firefighters on duty every day.

The main cause of fires in fields and forests is human activity, whether it is a cigarette or a spark from agricultural machinery. The financial penalties for causing a fire are between BGN 200 and 2,000, which is negligible compared to the damage that is done, the FSPP Director said. 

In his words, the available firefighting equipment needs repair and renewal, technology is changing and it is important to acquire new equipment and facilities. The outcome of a public procurement procedure for 285 fire engines is being contested.

Currently, the worst situation remains in Sakar, where firefighters are struggling to locate a fire. The hope is that it will be localized by the end of Tuesday and subsequently extinguished if weather conditions are favorable, said Dzhartov.

In general, there is a heightened risk of fires in Southern Bulgaria, he added.

In July, inspections for lighting fires in unsafe conditions will begin in cooperation with the Executive Forests Agency.

Last year, more than 900 such inspections were carried out and seven people were sanctioned.

Alexander Dzhartov was in Veliko Tarnovo for a national student competition on protection in disasters, fires and emergencies.