site.btaState of Emergency Lifted in Stara Zagora after Major Wildfire Is Put Out

The partial state of emergency declared in Stara Zagora Municipality on Sunday due to a wildfire was lifted on Monday, the local administration said.

“As of now, the fire has been extinguished — there are no active hotspots, no high-risk areas, and no danger to the public. The area has been secured and is being monitored preventively by the relevant authorities,” said Nikolay Dikov, Secretary of Stara Zagora Municipality, as quoted by the press centre.

Electricity supply is being gradually restored by EVN teams, and the road network is accessible. Early this morning, municipal staff began assessing the damage caused by the fire, according to Delyan Ivanov, Director of the Legal Affairs, Public Order, and Administrative Services Department. He stated that the affected buildings are holiday homes that are not occupied year-round. The owners have not requested accommodation from the municipality, the administration further reported. They also reminded the public that this was the first time Mayor Zhivko Todorov activated the BG-ALERT early warning system.

Stara Zagora Municipality urges citizens to strictly follow fire safety regulations and refrain from activities that could cause new fires. A special order issued by Mayor Todorov prohibits hazardous actions and notes that the fire-risk season will last until November 13, 2025. The order is published on the official website of Stara Zagora Municipality.

Earlier today, the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Stara Zagora reported that two men believed to have started the fire in the Sedmi Kilometar area near the city have been detained for up to 24 hours.

The fire in the Sedmi Kilometar area broke out at around 3 PM on Sunday. It started in a holiday home zone with over 300 houses, between 15 and 20 of which were destroyed. Thanks to the swift response of police and fire services, around 1,000 people were evacuated, and no injuries were reported. Fourteen firefighting teams from Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, and Sliven, as well as a helicopter from the Krumovo Air Base, took part in the operation.