Bulgaria continues battle against widespread wildfires

Bulgarian firefighters, aided by military personnel, volunteers and teams sent by the European Union and Türkiye, were continuing to battle wildfires for the latest consecutive day on July 22.

The wildfires began several days ago amid a heatwave that has lasted for weeks in Bulgaria, breaking temperature records. Over the weekend, there were brief rain showers in places and temperatures became less extreme.

Lyubomir Barov, deputy head of Bulgaria’s national firefighting service, said on July 22 that four out of five fronts in Voden – a village that has received national attention because of the devastation wrought by the fires – had been brought under control.

“We will work throughout the day with maximum efforts to control the last front, we will be assisted by helicopters and airplanes,” Barov said, according to a media statement by the Interior Ministry.

The Defence Ministry said on July 22 that military personnel and special equipment continued to be involved in extinguishing the large fire in the area of Voden.

Bulgaria’s national weather bureau said that in the afternoon of July 22, there would be brief showers and thunderstorms, most intensely in the central part of Stara Planina, the Rhodopes and Strandzha, where hail was possible.

In the evening, there would be short-term showers and thunderstorms in places, the weather bureau said.

In a message on X on July 21, Turkish President Erdoğan, referring to the aid his country has given to Bulgaria in recent days in the firefighting efforts, said: “Fighting forest fires is a humanitarian responsibility for all of us. Türkiye will continue to stand in solidarity with its friends during difficult times…I extend my get-well wishes and greetings to the people of Bulgaria on behalf of myself and my nation.”

Bulgarian National Television reported on July 22 that the situation with the fire burning in Greece near the Bulgarian border remained critical. The fire, raging for the fourth day, reached only 600 metres from Bulgarian territory, the report said.

The Sandana villages of Petrovo and Goleshovo are dangerously close, less than two km from the fire. The situation is still high-risk, the firefighting service said.

(Photos: Defence Ministry and Interior Ministry)

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