site.btaMonth-Old Fire in Pirin Mountain Finally Put Down

A month-old fire in Mount Pirin was finally declared extinguished on Friday. Commissioner Valentin Vasilev, head of the Regional Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection in Blagoevgrad, said the fire in Pirin has been fully extinguished on all fronts. Fire crews remain on site to carry out patrols and ensure there are no smouldering tree stumps or dry vegetation left within the perimeter.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. According to Vasilev, the footprint of the blaze - crown fires and the burning of unconnected areas - indicates the wildfire spread under strong winds. "On the day it consumed the largest areas, winds on some ridges reached 80 km/h, practically storm force," he added.

The fire was first registered on July 25 and efforts to contain it lasted nearly a month. It is the largest forest fire recorded in Blagoevgrad Region, affecting extremely inaccessible terrain at altitudes ranging from 600 to 1,800-2,000 metres, Vasilev said.

In the last couple of days, no smouldering or signs of fire have been observed, said Ivan Rizov, Director of the Strumyani State Forestry Enterprise. The area continues to be monitored by forest rangers from Strumyani and Sandanski, along with firefighters, he said. According to Rizov, the burned area covers about 5,000 hectares.

The blaze also spread into Pirin National Park, but the affected area there is small, about 1 or 2 hectares, according to the latest reports.

The fire broke out near the village of Ilindentsi, Strumyani Municipality. Firefighters from across Bulgaria, forestry workers from the Southwestern State Enterprise, military personnel and many volunteers took part in the suppression efforts. Air support was also deployed as both Bulgarian and foreign crews assisted in the firefighting operations in Blagoevgrad Region.

Five people were evacuated from an area above the village of Ilindentsi after the wildfire broke out.

On the night of July 29, Blagoevgrad Regional Governor Georgi Dinev set off the BG-Alert emergency system, ordering the evacuation of the village of Ploski near Sandanski as the fire spread. The alert was sent to residents shortly before midnight. Around 400 people were evacuated and initially sheltered in the sports hall in Sandanski. According to Sandanski Мayor Atanas Stoyanov, it was "the most difficult and tense night" since the blaze started near Ilindentsi.

The operational headquarters allowed the evacuees to return home on July 31. Also that day, rain fell in the fire zone. Firefighting teams continued working on the mountain slopes above Ploski and the holiday home district near the village of Vlahi, in the Kresna area. Despite the rain, numerous hotspots within the fire perimeter continued to burn in the following days.

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov visited the affected area to inspect measures taken by the Interior Ministry's operational headquarters. He was joined by Interior Minister Daniel Mitov and the Ministry's acting Secretary General Miroslav Rashkov. Alexander Dzhartov, head of DG Fire Safety and Population Protection, Georgi Dinev, Valentin Vasilev and Regional Police Director Daniel Dimitrov also monitored the situation on the ground during the critical days of the blaze.