Wildfire near Bulgaria’s Smolyan Contained

A wildfire that raged in the Rhodope mountains above the city of Smolyan, in southern Bulgaria, has been contained, bTV reported on Thursday evening.

The spreading of the blaze has been halted, Smolyan Mayor Nikolai Melemov told the TV station.

There was already no risk to people, houses or other buildings around the perimeter of the fire as of 7 p.m. (1700 GMT).

Two Mi-17 helicopters of the Bulgarian Air Force took part in fighting the fire that has spread quickly travelling from treetop to treetop helped by dry weather.

Pockets of fire remain which are expected to continue burning for about a week, firefighters operating in the affected area have said.

According to preliminary estimates, about 25 hectares of woodland have been affected by the fire which broke out between two neighbourhoods of Smolyan close to a power transformer station on Thursday afternoon.

A short circuit of a power line or a Chinese sky lantern are among suspected causes of the blaze, Smolyan region deputy governor Adrian Petrov told bTV.

The firefighting is expected to continue through the night.

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