North Macedonian Wildfire Spreads to Bulgaria

Jerusalem, 15 July, 2024 (TPS) -- PETRICH, SOUTHWESTERN BULGARIA, (BTA) A fire, burning on the border between the North Macedonia and Bulgaria, in the Ograzhden Mountain, has spread over to Bulgarian territory, the Southwest State Enterprise said.

A vehicle was sent to fight the fire from Sandanski, as well as officers from Strumyani. There are also fire brigades on site.

The secretary of the Petrich town hall and head of the disaster and emergency task group told BTA that the fire had spread to Bulgarian territory in two places. Both areas with high vegetation and low vegetation are in flames. Nine people from the disaster and emergency unit are traveling to the site of the fire, where they will join the efforts to extinguish it.

The alert for a forest fire on the territory of North Macedonia, near the border with Bulgaria, was received at around 8.30 pm on July 11, at the local Fire Safety and Population Protection Service in Petrich.

On Friday, the SSE reported that 20 forest rangers, fire-fighting crews and volunteers are keeping the fire from entering our territory. A bulldozer had been dispatched from Petrich municipality to clear the border roads of vegetation to prevent the fire from spreading.

The government of North Macedonia has declared a state of crisis due to the increased number of fires in the country.