site.btaFire Service Responds to 150-Plus Fires in Last 24 Hours

Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov, head of the Fire Safety and Population Protection General Directorate, told bTV on Saturday that firefighters responded to just over 220 incidents, including over 150 fires, in the last 24 hours. The blazes in recent days were caused by a combination of high temperatures, strong winds and human negligence. Dzhartov said the equipment is never enough, personal protective equipment is a consumable and needs to be replaced.

He said that to do a better job and deal with fires quickly, the service needs at least four helicopters, as well as its own heavy equipment that could be pre-positioned in higher-risk places. In contrast, bulldozers and other machinery now have to be hired from companies and moved to the fire sites, which delays response.

Almost all fronts of the fire near the village of Voden in Southeastern Bulgaria have been contained except one, Dzhartov said. Clearings have been made through the night. The fire hit an area of about 7,200 hectares.

The operation involves firefighters, servicepersons, forest wardens, heavy equipment and helicopters. If the weather stays as hot in the next few days, the situation will have to be monitored closely, he said.