After nearly a month of relentless efforts, the wildfire in Bulgaria’s Pirin Mountains, which erupted on the evening of July 25, has finally been brought under control and completely extinguished. This was confirmed by Commissioner Valentin Vassilev, regional director of the Fire Safety and Population Protection Service in Blagoevgrad.

Although no active flames remain - neither along the perimeter nor within the affected area - firefighting patrols will continue to monitor the zone. Commissioner Vassilev highlighted that the primary ongoing risk comes from deep peat layers, some exceeding 50 centimeters, which can continue to smolder unnoticed.

“The fire has now been extinguished on all fronts after being successfully localized. There is no ongoing activity along the perimeter. Nevertheless, our teams will continue patrols to detect any remaining smoldering spots, particularly in the peat, which is over 50 centimeters deep,” Vassilev explained.

He noted that a comprehensive assessment will be carried out to analyze the forest fires, the transformation of natural events into large-scale disasters, the effectiveness of institutional responses, and the role of public responsibility. The commissioner emphasized that the country is now facing a “new reality” in terms of environmental hazards.

“This new reality requires adaptation. We must rethink and recalibrate our systems, our strategies, and our behavior in response to extreme conditions - temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius and winds reaching 80-90 km/h. Our goal is first to prevent fires, and second, to be fully prepared to respond when disasters occur. This responsibility extends not only to emergency services but to the population as well,” concluded Commissioner Vassilev, underscoring the need for vigilance and collective preparedness.