A large fire swept through the town of Sarnitsa yesterday afternoon, destroying several buildings and leaving multiple families in distress. Three houses were completely consumed by the flames, while the roofs of another three were heavily damaged. In addition, seven outbuildings used for storing wood were also destroyed, and smoldering debris continues to burn. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, according to Miroslav Stoyanov, spokesperson for the Pazardzhik police.

The fire was reported to emergency services via 112 late in the afternoon. Five firefighting teams responded, including three from Velingrad and one each from Dospat and Rakitovo, assisted by local volunteers. The blaze was brought under control by around 11:00 p.m. The director of the RSPBZN, Commissioner Angel Angelov, remained on site throughout the night alongside representatives from the Sarnitsa Municipality. Authorities plan to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire and assess the extent of material losses.

Meanwhile, a separate wildfire is growing in Rila National Park. Forestry officials from the State Forestry Administration-Simitli under the Southwestern State Enterprise (SSEPE) reported that the fire, which broke out yesterday afternoon between the Simitli villages of Gorno and Dolno Osenovo, has expanded to cover approximately 30 acres, including both coniferous and deciduous forests. The flames are advancing toward the alpine part of the mountain, reaching altitudes of nearly 1,800 meters. The terrain is challenging, with numerous fallen and dry trees accelerating the spread, and the fire line stretches about 1.5 kilometers on foot, requiring manual suppression efforts.

Blagoy Kishev, director of the State Forestry in Simitli, warned that the fire could continue moving toward the alpine areas, posing a serious threat. Firefighters, park employees, volunteers, and foresters worked overnight to prevent new outbreaks, with plans to deploy aircraft within hours to assist in aerial extinguishing. This incident marks the third forest fire in two days in Blagoevgrad Province. Earlier this week, fires erupted in the village of Selishte, affecting nearly 30 acres of private and municipal forests, and near the mineral baths in Yakoruda, spreading through about 50 acres of pine forest and bushes.

In both Sarnitsa and Rila, firefighting teams responded swiftly, containing the flames despite difficult conditions. The Sarnitsa fire involved three houses fully burned, three with damaged roofs, and seven destroyed outbuildings. Five firefighting teams participated in extinguishing the blaze, supported by volunteers, while Commissioner Angel Angelov and local municipal representatives oversaw operations. Authorities will carry out inspections to establish the causes of the fires and quantify the material damage. The situation in both areas remains under close monitoring.