The wildfire in Strumyani municipality flared up again

The fire in the municipality of Strumyani, in the Maleshevska Mountains, Southwestern Bulgaria, flared up again. The strong wind has ignited one of the outbreaks near the village of Tsaparevo. The wildfire has turned from ground to crown. It has overrun the fire breaks made earlier. The situation is becoming dangerous again.

Wildfire in Strumyani municpality brought under control

Many firefighters, volunteers and aerial equipment were redirected to the fire burning near the village of Senokos. There are currently about 20 forestry officers on the ground extinguishing with ground equipment.

Rosen Yanev, the director of the Strumyani State Forest Service, told BNT that the wind was westerly and was directing the flames towards the villages of Tsaparrevo and Karpelevo.

The mayor of Kresna, Emil Iliev, told BNT that the situation is worsening because of the strong wind in the area. The fire is difficult to extinguish on the ground, as the flames in places reach over 50 metres.

Rada Stefanova from the village of Mikrevo says she cannot sleep well for fear that the flames will approach her home.

"There is no peace, I sleep for an hour and get up at night and I go around, from window to window. I am afraid. It's worrying to watch all this burning. The flames may come to us and everything we have built in our life may get melted," says Rada Stefanova.

Two military helicopters helped to locate the fire, constantly pouring water on it. Dozens of volunteers also answered the call for help.

Because of the unpredictable wind gusts, there are still active outbreaks. It is dangerous for evacuated residents to return to their homes.

"For the most part, the front has been contained, but we have one place we can't reach right now," said Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov-Director of the fire fighting department.

"People can return to their homes when the risk to their health is zero. There is round-the-clock security in the village by Ministry of Interior officers," said Georgi Dinev, Blagoevgrad's district governor.

The other fire in the Slavyanka mountain on the border with Greece has engulfed new territories today. Extinguishing continues from the air.

"The two planes of the colleagues from Sweden are currently working, they managed to arrive earlier today and started working mainly on the eastern front, on the western front we have at least one plane of the colleagues from Greece," added Chief Commissioner Dzhartov.

So far there is no danger that the fire in the Republic of North Macedonia will spread to Bulgaria.