More than 45,000 acres of land have been affected by a major forest fire in the Pirin Mountains, one of the most destructive in Bulgaria in recent years. While the situation in the villages of Ilindentsi and Ploski has stabilized and the fire has been brought under control, teams continue to patrol the terrain due to ongoing risk of reignition. Isolated outbreaks remain, and efforts are focused on extinguishing these areas before conditions worsen.

Early this morning, patrols from the forestry and fire services resumed their operations in the high-risk zones above Ilindentsi and Ploski. Drones are being deployed to detect smoldering embers in hard-to-reach areas. According to Eng. Ivan Rizov, head of the State Forestry in Strumyani, the environmental damage is extensive, with large parts of the Kresna-Ilindentsi protected zones severely impacted. The fire has affected entire ecosystems, and the risk of erosion now poses an additional threat to the region.

The fire also led to evacuations and pushed firefighters to their limits. The heavy rainfall provided temporary relief, but it was not enough to fully extinguish the blaze. Rizov warned that the exact size of the damaged area will be verified after a complete perimeter survey. He described the situation as an "ecological bomb," with the loss of forests, wildlife habitats, and topsoil threatening to cause long-term consequences.

Speaking on the challenges faced by emergency teams, firefighter Radomir Eremiyski explained that the difficult terrain, limited access to water sources, and extreme conditions make forest fires particularly dangerous. Equipment often cannot reach the fire zones, and firefighters are forced to carry out their tasks under high temperatures, in thick smoke, and for long hours. The mental strain is considerable, with constant concerns for both their own safety and that of local residents. He pointed to human negligence - discarded cigarettes and uncontrolled outdoor cooking - as a common cause of such disasters, stressing that nature eventually exacts a toll for irresponsible behavior.

Ventsislav Stankov, president of the “Ogneborets” Union of Firefighters and Rescuers, highlighted the urgent need for aerial firefighting equipment. While the fire services have acquired modern ground-based technology, Bulgaria still lacks sufficient aerial support. At present, response operations rely on helicopters provided by the military. Stankov emphasized that planes capable of carrying larger water loads would be more effective in tackling fires of such magnitude. He also called for a comprehensive analysis to determine whether this equipment should fall under the Ministry of Defense, Interior, or even Transport. Despite logistical and staffing challenges, he believes that acquiring aircraft is both necessary and achievable.

He further noted that the country is only at the start of the peak fire season, with some days in July seeing nearly 400 reported fire incidents within a 24-hour period - 280 of them confirmed blazes. Fortunately, there have been no fatalities so far, but the escalating frequency and severity of fires highlight systemic gaps in preparedness.

Meanwhile, frustration is building within the forestry sector. Forest workers and union representatives are demanding urgent talks with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. Konstantin Cholakov of the Federation of Trade Union Organizations in Forestry and Wood Processing explained that a joint meeting with the ministers of finance, economy, and agriculture is essential. So far, a letter sent to the Prime Minister remains unanswered. The decision to continue planned protests hinges on the outcome of this long-requested dialogue.

Minister of Agriculture Georgi Tahov acknowledged that state forestry enterprises are subject to commercial law and cannot receive direct budgetary support. However, the unions argue that these entities perform critical public functions such as fire prevention and emergency response. They believe that policy changes - not subsidies - are needed to stabilize the sector.

Cholakov pointed to structural problems within the industry. Logging volumes have declined sharply, and domestic demand for wood has dropped, leading to financial shortfalls. With fewer resources, forestry teams are struggling to carry out socially important roles like fire suppression. Forest workers are also tasked with emergency phone duty from 8:00 to 22:00 daily, underscoring the level of responsibility they carry.

According to him, none of the agreements reached with the agriculture ministry in March have been implemented. He warned that without public support for their non-commercial functions, forestry enterprises in Bulgaria - and across the EU - face collapse. About 2,000 forest officials have been deployed daily in recent weeks, actively battling fires across the country.

Sources:

• BTA
• Bulgarian National Radio
• BNT