site.btaFire near Bulgarovo Brought Under Control

The fire, which covered a large area around the town of Bulgarovo (on the Black Sea) and the Loznitsata region, has been brought under control, Burgas Regional Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection Director Nikolay Nikolaev said on Saturday. “The fire was contained before the helicopter arrived. And at the moment, it has been extinguished. Separate small fires are yet to be extinguished. There is no danger to the town of Bulgarovo,” he stressed.

The first report of two burning villas in Loznitsa was received at around 1 p.m. on Saturday. “Two teams were immediately dispatched. As they approached the area, they saw that the fire had spread very quickly due to the strong wind,” he said. 

It was the strong wind that drove the flames toward the town of Bulgarovo, Commissioner Nikolaev added. He explained that a total of 14 firefighting teams from Burgas, Nessebar, Pomorie, Sozopol, and Tsarevo worked on the ground.

At least three teams will remain on duty throughout the night, Nikolayev told BTA. According to him, initial estimates indicate that the fire has covered about 400 hectares. 

“Many people joined in to help extinguish the fire. We thank the volunteers who fought the fire at the entrance to Bulgarovo. Water tankers and farmers provided great help, slowing the spread of the fire over the town with heavy equipment,” Nikolayev said.

"At this stage, we can say that around 15 buildings have been burned down in the Loznitsata area. They have been completely destroyed," Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov said. He added that the fire was most likely caused by negligence. 

“We are grateful to the servicemen from the base in Krumovo for managing to respond in the inaccessible part of the area with a helicopter,” Nikolov said. One report was received of an elderly woman suffering from smoke inhalation in the Loznitsata area. “Emergency services responded in time and she is fine,” the Mayor added. He specified that there are also affected buildings in the town of Bulgarovo, which are not residential but agricultural. 

“We will inspect the area with two teams from the Municipality. That is why we have declared a partial state of emergency. Municipal property has also been affected,” emphasized Nikolov.