site.btaAll Major Wildfires in Bulgaria Contained, Pirin Blaze Under Control, Says Fire Safety Chief

All major wildfires on the territory of Bulgaria have been contained, and the blaze in the Pirin Mountains is under control, Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov, head of the Fire Safety and Population Protection Directorate General, told journalists at a news briefing at Plovdiv Airport on Thursday. 

Dzhartov and Interior Minister Daniel Mitov met with the foreign flight crews assisting with aerial firefighting efforts across the country. 

Mitov discussed the acquisition of additional aerial firefighting equipment, noting that a comprehensive analysis will be carried out in cooperation with the Defence Ministry, the Transport Ministry, and other institutions. The analysis, expected within two to three weeks, will assess the current infrastructure, available resources, and potential areas for improvement.

The Interior Minister said that Border Police pilots could potentially be trained to operate higher-class helicopters to support their colleagues from the Defence Ministry in firefighting operations.

Dzhartov said that since the start of the day, Fire Safety teams responded to 60 incidents, some of which involved dry grass fires, but currently there are no major active wildfires. He noted that recent efforts were concentrated in the regions of Yambol, Strumyani, and Sliven, depending on the threat level. Firefighting teams are still patrolling the perimeter of the fire in Pirin to ensure it does not spread to areas where there has been no rainfall.

Around 700 tonnes of water have been dropped from the air over the past few days using helicopters and planes. “We are gradually starting to release some of the firefighting teams, as they are now extremely exhausted. We will assess by the end of the day how many will remain on the ground,” Dzhartov added. He expressed deep gratitude for the dedication and professionalism of the firefighters involved in tackling the wildfires.

Dzhartov also reported that work is underway to procure new firefighting equipment, protective gear, and reconnaissance drones to improve response speed and efficiency. “We are doing everything possible to provide our personnel with the best possible equipment,” he said.

Under the Environment Programme, a total of 285 new fire trucks will be delivered across the country within the next three years.