Caretaker PM Glavchev: Wildfire situation continues to be complicated

The wildfire situation continues to be complicated, caretaker Prime Minister, Dimitar Glavchev, said before the start of the Wednesday regular weekly meeting of the cabinet on July 31. The situation in Slavyanka Mountain, near the border with Greece, is complicated and volatile, Glavchev further said. The fire has been raging on Greek territory for more than two weeks and has recently spread to Bulgaria.

In his words, a forest is burning in the area of the villages of Mikrevo and Tsaparevo, Southwestern Bulgaria, Blagoevgrad district.

"Efforts are being made to contain the fire in the south so that it does not spread to other settlements. Residents were evacuated and spent the night in Sandanski," Glavchev added.

Firefighters, servicemen, foresters and volunteers are involved in putting out the fire, he said.

"The situation is complicated and changing with the fire on the Greek border in the Slavyanka mountain as well. Both yesterday and today, two planes from France are involved in the firefighting efforts. They moved to the municipality of Strumyani, where there was a real danger to people's lives and property," Glavchev further commented.

According to him, the European cooperation mechanism is of utmost importance.