2024-08-04 21:31:46
One fire was caused by lightning, the others by negligence
Southwestern Bulgaria has been burning for a whole week, and Slavyanka mountain on the Bulgarian-Greek border has been on fire for 20 days already. Thousands of firefighters, soldiers, forest officials, hunters, volunteers are fighting the fiery element on several fronts – in the Pirin, Maleshevo, Slavyanka, Vlahina mountains, near the E-79 main road. The two military helicopters and planes from France, later replaced by Swedish ones, could not go around the burning outbreaks one after another. They redirect them hour after hour to each new one.
The perpetrator of the fire in recent days has not yet been identified, although investigators are questioning many people. Only the Pirin fire on Mount Sharalia above 2100m is almost certain to have been caused by a lightning strike. The same reason is indicated by the Greek authorities for the fire that started on July 18 on their territory in Mount Slavyanka, which then spread to our land. For the rest, the most likely cause is human negligence. The fire in the Kresna gorge, near the E-79 main road and the railway line, was almost certainly started by a thrown unextinguished cigarette – by a passing train or by a car on the way to Greece. This is probably also the reason for the big fire in Maleshevo, Strumyani municipality, which was brought under control after 6 days, but two villages had to be evacuated. It’s gone about a way, which forces the version again for
a discarded cigarette or burning stubble
Vlahina mountain in Nevestinsko Gori third day, several uninhabited houses were burnt to ashes, two other houses where people live were saved. It is suspected that the fire started from the yard of a house where a woman was boiling jars of compotes for the winter. The same cause – boiling of winter wine and an unextinguished fire – is being investigated for the other big fire near the village of Senokos in Simitlia, at the foot of Pirin. As for the start of the flames, it is said that it may have been the burning of stubble and dry grass collected in a pile after cleaning a yard.
The cause of a fire can also be the use of pyrotechnic devices such as zarya, especially in villages during assemblies, as well as outdoors during some celebrations.
The forest cover of dried leaves and grasses is highly flammable, contributing to the rapid spread, firefighters say. Even relatively weak ignition sources of short duration, such as a thrown unextinguished match, can cause significant damage in the forest. They urge not to throw away unextinguished butts and matches, including from the cars that drive past or through forest areas.
The effect of a magnifying glass at the record high temperatures has also been thrown away
glass bottles that can cause ignition
of dry vegetation.
All motor vehicles that enter the forests must be equipped with spark arresters, fire fighters advise.
Never light a fire in the presence of wind, which can blow sparks and hot particles long distances. Clearing of dry branches should be done by removing them to the designated places. Their destruction by burning is prohibited.
If a person sees signs of a fire in the forest, he must move away from the dangerous place in a direction perpendicular to the wind or along water bodies and report to 112 or to the nearest populated place.