Bulgaria fights raging wildfires as heatwave grips the region

On Saturday, a red fire alert was issued in 21 out of 28 regions of Bulgaria. Forests and grasslands are burning across the country. The situation is so serious that the military has been deployed to combat the blaze.

The worst conditions are in the central and southeastern parts of the country. Fire Chief Aleksandr Dzartov reported that the most intense fires are in four regions near the towns of Topolovgrad and Ivaylovgrad in the southeast, close to the border with Turkey. Heavy equipment and helicopters have been dispatched to fight the fire, and firebreaks are being cut in the forests to halt the blaze's spread. More than 50 acres of forests have burned.

In several villages, the fire reached homes, and houses in the villages of Srem and Madzharovo have burned down. So far, there are no reported human casualties. However, the situation is dangerous due to the very high temperatures.

Significant fires are also ongoing around Plovdiv in the central part of the country and Kyustendil in the west. The fire department has appealed for help from volunteers, and over 60 people have volunteered around Plovdiv.

Scorching and dry weather has persisted for dozens of days, with temperatures exceeding 30°C and reaching 40°C in the southwest. Forecasts do not indicate a drop in temperatures in the next 10 days.

The situation is also severe in neighbouring Romania. Romanian meteorologists are warning of extreme heat over the weekend and next week. Record temperatures are expected in many places, with daytime temperatures exceeding 40°C and nighttime temperatures approaching even 30°C.