site.btaOver 120 Active Incidents Nationwide, 600 Firefighters on the Ground, Says Head of Bulgaria's Fire Safety Directorate

As of now, there are over 120 active incidents across the country, with 600 firefighters deployed on the ground, said on Wednesday evening Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov, Director of the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection (GDFSCP), who is currently at the scene of a fire in the "Otdih" villa zone near the village of Pesnopoy in the Kaloyanovo municipality.

According to him, in addition to the regions of Plovdiv and Pazardzhik, fires are also reported in the regions of Sliven, Yambol, Kardzhali, Haskovo, and Burgas.

"The situation began to worsen after 4:00 p.m.," Dzhartov noted, adding that due to strong winds, any ignition quickly escalates into a severe fire. In most cases, the fires have been localized to prevent the flames from reaching populated areas. There are isolated cases of burned-down uninhabited buildings, he added.

He emphasized that many of the incidents are caused by human activity and urged people not to light fires. Nighttime fire watch will be in place across affected areas, Dzhartov stressed.

Around 20 people were evacuated from the villa zone near the village of Pesnopoy, with no injuries reported, according to the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Plovdiv. Senior Commissioner Vasil Dimov, Director of the Regional Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection, said that the fire has been localized, but about 15–20 structures have burned. A total of 11 fire trucks were involved in extinguishing the fire.

Since 6:00 p.m., more than ten fires have broken out in the Plovdiv region. Warehouses are currently burning near the village of Popovitsa, with seven fire crews participating in the operation. The fire there is active but localized, Dimov added.