site.btaContinue the Change to Propose Aerial Monitoring for Early Fire Detection

Continue the Change (CC) Co-leader Kiril Petkov and Nikolay Denkov, Floor Leader of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, said they would propose to the caretaker ministers of agriculture and transport to have small aircraft equipped with eight thermal cameras for aerial monitoring of Bulgaria's territory.

Petkov said that the country could be monitored in July and August at a minimal cost so as to prevent the tragedy of burned down houses. In addition to early fire detection, the aircraft could be used in detecting illegal migrants, he said.

Petkov and Denkov flew over the fire-ravaged village of Voden in Southeastern Bulgaria and a large dam near it, the co-leader said in a Facebook post. If firefighting aircraft had been available, they could have scooped six tonnes of water form the dam in one go. Such an aircraft can dump up to 30 tonnes of water on a forest blaze per hour, he wrote.

"We should all be together at times like this to plan effective measures so that such tragedies can become a thing of the past," Petkov said.