Partial State of Emergency Declared in Bulgaria's Straldzha and Hisarya Municipalities as Wildfires Rage

The mayor of Straldzha municipality in Bulgaria, Atanas Kirov, declared a partial state of emergency following a series of fires that severely affected the area, especially in the villages of Atolovo, Malenovo, and Nedyalsko. Emergency services responded with nine fire engines on the scene, with additional support called in from Burgas.

Deputy Mayor Grozdan Ivanov described the situation as critical, noting that there were ten separate fire outbreaks across the municipality. The strong winds worsened the conditions, causing further damage beyond the fires themselves - numerous trees were uprooted, power supplies were disrupted, and fires broke out in agricultural machinery, farms, yards, and abandoned homes. Investigations suggest that a short circuit might have sparked the initial blaze. The local crisis headquarters continue to assess the extent of the damage.

Meanwhile, in Hisarya municipality, Mayor Iva Valcheva also declared a partial state of emergency after a fire broke out in the villa area above the village of Mihiltsi. Senior Commissioner Vasil Dimov, head of the Regional Directorate for Fire and Emergency Safety, confirmed that no injuries occurred. One man was hospitalized after suffering shock and distress but was reported to be in stable condition. The fire affected more than 20 villas and other buildings. Firefighters, volunteers, and forest officials - eleven teams in total - battled the fire amid challenging conditions created by strong winds and difficult terrain near the "Otdih" villa area. Evacuated residents have since returned to their homes.

Across Bulgaria, the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Population Protection (GDPBZN) reported that firefighters extinguished 279 fires within 24 hours, responding to 377 incident reports. Fortunately, no deaths or serious injuries were recorded.

Of these fires, 49 caused material damage, including 14 residential buildings, six auxiliary or temporary structures, nine vehicles, four forested areas, and six agricultural sites. The remaining 230 fires resulted in no material losses, mostly affecting dry grass, forest litter, bushes, stubble, and waste.

Firefighters also conducted 93 rescue and assistance operations, including six involving vehicle accidents. Additionally, five false alarms were recorded. Due to the widespread fires, the national early warning system, BG-ALERT, was activated in certain regions.

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov urged mayors and regional governors to prioritize preventive measures amid the ongoing fire threats.