Bulgaria battles fierce wildfires as record heatwaves scorch region

A red fire alert was announced on Saturday in 21 out of 28 regions of Bulgaria. Forests and grasslands are ablaze across the country. The situation is so severe that the army has been deployed to combat the fires.

The worst affected areas are the central and southeastern parts of the country. Fire chief Aleksandr Dzjartow reported that the most intense fires are in four regions around the towns of Topolovgrad and Ivaylovgrad in the southeast, near the border with Turkey. Heavy equipment and helicopters have been dispatched to fight the fire, and firebreaks are being cut through the forests to halt the spread. Over 50 acres of forest have been destroyed.

In several villages, the fire has reached homes, with houses burned down in Srem and Madzharovo. Fortunately, there have been no human casualties so far. However, the situation remains perilous due to the extremely high temperatures.

Large fires also persist around Plovdiv in the central part of the country and Kyustendil in the west. The fire department has issued an appeal for volunteers, and over 60 people have responded in Plovdiv.

Scorching and dry weather has persisted for several days, with temperatures exceeding 86°F and reaching up to 104°F in southwestern areas. Forecasts do not indicate a drop in temperatures within the next 10 days.

The situation is also severe in neighbouring Romania. Romanian meteorologists warn of extreme heatwaves over the weekend and next week. Records will be broken in many places, with daytime temperatures exceeding 104°F and nighttime temperatures approaching 86°F.