site.btaHaskovo Wildfire Brought Under Control, Flames Were Started by 13yo Boy

A wildfire which had been burning since Sunday afternoon in the areas of four villages in Haskovo Region was brought under control on Tuesday morning. A 13-year-old boy caused the blaze, which has affected 1,400 hectares of land, including 200 hectares of forest, said senior commissioner Mitko Chakalov, Director of the Haskovo Regional Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection, speaking to BTA.

Six firefighting crews remained at the scene by Tuesday morning to prevent any flare-ups.

After breaking out on Sunday, the fire spread rapidly, and aerial assistance was brought in to help tackle it. One of the initial theories being investigated was human negligence. During the investigation, police officers received information from local residents who had seen two children smoking cigarettes near the village. One of the boys subsequently set fire to dry vegetation, telling investigators that he had done so to clear the area, Chakalov said.

Because of his age, the child is not criminally liable. The two boys were identified and, in the presence of their parents, were interviewed by police. The case materials will be submitted to the Haskovo District Prosecutor's Office.

Following the fire, Haskovo Mayor Stanislav Dechev issued an order on Monday declaring a partial state of emergency in the villages of Dinevo, Malevo, Krivo Pole, Koren and Lyubenovo. It will remain in force until Wednesday. The Koren military training area was affected by the flames.