Massive Fire Outbreaks in Bulgaria
Massive Fire Outbreaks in Bulgaria
12 April 2011
Forest fires in Bulgaria
11 April 2011, 15:23 CEST
Forest fires were reported on April 09, 2011, in south-western Bulgaria near the villages of Gostun and Osenovo. The fires destroyed more than 200 hectares of pine forests and have not been brought under control within the following two days. Mountainous parts and inaccessible terrain hamper fire suppressing activities of local fire brigades.
On April 10, 2011 the GMES SAFER mechanism was activated through the National Focal Point for Bulgaria. High resolution and very high resolution new and archive optical satellite imagery were ordered. The first DLR/ZKI map showing the burnt area extent on April 11, 2011, was produced on the same day.
Source: http://www.zki.dlr.de/article/1974
Firefighters putting out fire in Bulgarias Bansko municipality
11 April 2011
FOCUS News Agency
Bansko. Mobile teams of forestry workers and firefighters were putting out the wildfire still raging in the mountainous municipality of Bansko, Southwestern Bulgaria, during the night, an officer with Fire Safety and Population Protection DG told FOCUS News Agency.
About 45 firefighters and 80 forestry workers will join the team on Monday. The flames did not spread and there is no risk of their reaching the nearby villages.
More than 163 fires were raging across Bulgaria in the past 24 hours, including one in the southwestern municipality of Petrich, on the Bulgarian-Macedonian border, but it was extinguished on Sunday morning.
By Krasimira GEORGIEVA
Source: http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n246821
Forest fire raging near Bansko
Monday, 11 April 2011
byThe Sofia Echo staff
A massive fire has ravaged a large section of pine forest near the alpine town of Bansko. The fire has been burning since the afternoon of April 9 2011, and to date, about 2500 ha of terrain has been destroyed, Mediapool.bg reported.
The fire is reported to be between the villages of Gostun and Ossenovo in the Bansko municipality. Another large fire has also been reported close to the Bulgarian-Macedonian border, near Beltoko, close to Petrich. Luckily, that blaze affected only grass and scrub and spread around about 240 ha. It has been contained, the report said.
Photo: Reuters
The first signal of the conflagration near Bansko was received on Saturday (April 9) at 5.45pm. The fire brigade in Bansko were mobilised and dispatched to the scene, but their work was hampered by difficult and inaccessible terrain, the report said.
The fire brigade fought the conflagration for a full day, and have reportedly “contained” the fire, although flames are still raging. Reportedly, 12 fire-fighting vehicles and 40 men from Blagoevgrad and another 80 men and three vehicles from Dobrinishte and Bansko are at the scene. They are being assisted by about 190 volunteers.
Authorities said that there was no danger to nearby neighbourhoods.
Source: http://sofiaecho.com/2011/04/11/1073033_forest-fire-raging-near-bansko
170 forest fires rage across Bulgaria since 2011 beginning; all caused by people: expert
11 April 2011
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. Some 170 forest fires raged across Bulgaria since the beginning of the year, destroying 11,303 decares. All of them were caused by people, Vladimir Konstantinov, a state expert with Forestry Preservation Department in Forestry Executive Agency, said in an interview with FOCUS News Agency.
The data does not include one of the most recent wildfires in the southwestern municipality of Bansko.
61% of the affected areas are owned by the state, 14% by municipal authorities, 14% is private, and 1% is managed by churches and legal persons.
By Vesela BARAMOVA
Source: http://www.focus-fen.net/?id=n246842
2000 decars of pine forest in fire
10 April 2011
FOCUS News Agency
Sofia. Extinguishing operation of the fire that rages in Bansko municipality is underway, press office of the Ministry of Interior announced.
A signal for wildfire raging on about 2000 decars of dry grass between the villages of Gostun and Osenovo was received at 17.45 pm on Saturday. Immediately firefighters from the Fire Safety Services in Bansko and Razlog arrived at the site. The fire has enveloped forest in difficult of access area. Firefighting brigades are still trying to bring the fire under control.
Another fire that raged on about 550 decars of dry grass area near the Bulgarian Macedonian border has been localized.
All necessary firefighting tactics have been used to suppress wildfire in Bansko municipality. That is what regional governor of Blagoevgrad Valeri Smilenov said for Radio FOCUS Pirin.
He specified that there is quite good organization for extinguishing the fire. Many people took part in the operation, such as firefighters, forest-guards, local people etc. The fire has already been localized, but it is still unclear when it would be completely brought under control due to strong wind in the area, he added.
Border Police helicopter carried out several flights over the territory of the wildfire and established two fronts of the fire in the area between the villages of Gostun and Osenovo, Bansko Municipality. That is what press office of General Directorate Fire Safety and People Protection announced. The two fire fronts are some 2km northern from Gostun village. The fire has currently been localized.
Source: http://focus-fen.net/?id=n246788
