A fire broke out early this morning at the landfill in the Plovdiv village of Shishmantsi. The signal was received around 05:30 a.m., prompting an immediate response. Four firefighting teams were dispatched to the scene to contain the blaze.

According to the Regional Directorate for Fire Safety and Protection of the Population in Plovdiv, the fire is confined to an area of approximately 700 to 800 square meters. Bulldozers are being used to level the burning terrain while crews continue extinguishing efforts. Meanwhile, specialists from the Plovdiv unit of the Specialized Operational Activities Sector are monitoring air quality in the nearby settlements to ensure there is no significant risk to the population.

At the same time, firefighting operations continue in the Pirin Mountains, where a massive forest fire has been raging for weeks. Although the most dangerous front was brought under control last night, about 100 personnel remain deployed today. They include firefighters, forestry workers, soldiers, and volunteers, all working together to put out smoldering logs across the extensive affected area.

The terrain above the village of Ploski, with steep slopes exceeding 70 degrees, has been particularly challenging. There, crews managed to control a third outbreak of the fire late yesterday. To supply water for the operation, they set up a system of hoses stretching more than 800 meters across the mountainside. Elsewhere, teams extinguished smoking hotspots detected by a drone along both the perimeter and within the burned area.

Volunteers have also joined the effort, as the scale of destruction is vast. More than 45,000 acres of forest have been damaged since the blaze first broke out above the village of Ilindentsi 25 days ago. According to regional fire chief Commissioner Valentin Vassilev, a large portion of the forest has been completely destroyed due to the peak intensity of the flames.

The rain that fell overnight, combined with cooler temperatures, has provided relief and reduced the likelihood of new fires starting. Even so, around a hundred people remain mobilized today, firefighters, forestry staff, military units, and emergency rescue groups, working to put out the last smoldering trees and stumps in the area.