Heatwave and forest fires: Bulgaria is also “on fire”
Like its Greek and Turkish neighbors, Bulgaria is plagued by forest fires, some of which are arson-related. But the country is severely underfunded, and its firefighters say they are overwhelmed.
Bulgaria is "on fire," headlined the Sofia-based online newspaper Club Z on July 28, even though Deputy Interior Minister Tony Todorov assured that the situation on Monday was "slightly better" than during the weekend.
After experiencing temperatures exceeding 40°C for several days, this southeastern European country is now battling nearly 270 forest fires, according to authorities. “The most complicated situation is in the Pirin Mountains,” in the west of the country, Club Z continues.
In an interview with Svobodna Evropa, the Bulgarian-language branch of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Alexander Djartov, head of the Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate, said this weekend's fires "destroyed thousands of hectares of land, dozens of houses, and forests." Some are still not under control, and new fires are appearing. "At least two of the fires are out of control," he continued, citing "very complicated" situations in the Yambol region (east) and Blagoevgrad (west).
For several days now, the Bulgarian media have been describing apocalyptic situations in certain regions of the country, with firefighters often overwhelmed by the speed with which the fires break out.
Courrier International
