site.btaEfforts to Contain Fire in Sakar Mountain Continue

Efforts to contain the wildfire in the Sakar Mountain continue on Tuesday. The fire has already affected 700 hectares of land, primarily forest areas, pastures, and vineyards, Mitko Chakalov, headr of the Regional Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection in Haskovo told a news briefing.

The fire broke out on Monday afternoon between the villages of Lisovo, Mladinovo, and Kostur in the municipality of Svilengrad. It spread rapidly, and by the evening had already engulfed 500 hectares. A partial state of disaster has been declared in the Svilengrad municipality.

On the ground, there are 14 firefighting teams with around 50 personnel, two tracked machines, and additional support will be provided by soldiers from the army unit in Haskovo, volunteers, and forestry workers.

According to Chakalov, the drop in temperatures overnight has rendered many of the fire hotspots inactive this morning, but he expects them to reignite as temperatures rise during the day. Equipment is being used to create firebreaks to limit the spread. For now, there are no plans to deploy a Cougar military helicopter for firefighting operations.

There is no danger to nearby populated areas, Chakalov assured.