Bulgaria Faces Severe Forest Fire Crisis as EU's Most Affected Country

Bulgaria has become the EU member state most severely impacted by forest fires this year. According to the European Forest Fire Information System, over 38,000 hectares of land in Bulgaria have been burned so far, more than double the area affected in the previous year.

The country is receiving support through the European Union Mechanism for Civil Protection, with firefighting teams from Greece, France, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Spain contributing to the efforts. Currently, two Spanish planes are assisting in battling the blazes engulfing Bulgarian forests.

In recent weeks, both volunteers and professional firefighters have been working tirelessly against the fires, which have destroyed buildings and led to evacuations. Firefighters, gendarmerie, forest officials, and heavy equipment, including helicopters and water tankers, have been deployed continuously. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries or casualties.

One significant fire occurred near the village of Voden on July 17, where the blaze quickly spread from a neighboring pine forest, engulfing homes and creating dense smoke in the village center. Many residents, including the elderly and disabled, had to evacuate with limited belongings. Over 30 houses were destroyed, and locals claimed they were not given official evacuation warnings, relying instead on their own initiative.

The Yambol regional governor explained that the lack of mobile coverage prevented the activation of the early warning system. Despite this, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the fire department used vehicle sirens to alert the public, and temporary shelters were set up for those displaced.

The fire that affected Voden eventually spread to the village of Kraynovo, where it destroyed ten houses, five of which were occupied. Residents were briefly evacuated, and the gendarmerie restricted access to the area.

In July, another major fire in the Plovdiv village of Otets Paisievo destroyed over 30 buildings, necessitating evacuations. A significant fire in Harmanley resulted in two firefighters suffering minor injuries and led to the temporary closure of a road to Madjarovo. The blaze, which threatened a gas station, caused damage to cottages, livestock, and an industrial building.

In the Karlovo villages of Karavelovo and Bogdan, the fires caused extensive damage to farmland, rose plantations, vineyards, and grain crops. The flames came dangerously close to residential areas.

Currently, efforts continue to control a large fire on the Bulgarian-Greek border, which was exacerbated by a new blaze from Greece. Firefighters are working on creating clearings around the villages of Petrovo and Goleshevo as a preventive measure. Additionally, a new fire has broken out in Sakar, affecting the municipalities of Harmanli and Topolovgrad. The blaze has prompted a state of emergency due to its rapid spread through stubble, mixed forests, bushes, and grasses.

Data from the European forest fire information system indicate a rising number of fires in Bulgaria. The restoration of burned forests could take 100 years, and the damage and prevention efforts are costing the country around 100 million leva annually.