A dramatic development of a fire situation was registered on Tuesday afternoon in one of the most sensitive ecological areas of Bulgaria. Employees from the Directorate of "Pirin National Park" raised an alarm about a fire that occurred in the Koriyata area, located in the Kamenitsa Park Section.
The initial report came in around 5:00 PM, when park employees noticed a characteristic smoke formation in the mountain massif. Four specialists were immediately mobilized and undertook an expedition to the epicentral zone of the incident.
The terrain conditions extremely complicate the rescue activities. The nearest point accessible by motor vehicles is in the Quarries area, from where the team continues on foot for approximately an hour and a half.
The fire covers approximately two decares of extremely valuable coniferous vegetation, including white pine and white pine species. The affected area extends beneath the ridge of the Koriyata area, at an altitude of about 1,880 meters above sea level.
In the morning, efforts to control the outbreak were renewed at full capacity. Ten park employees and three representatives of the Regional Fire Safety and Rescue Service from Sandanski are working on the ground.
The rescue strategy includes building a fire break around the threatened section, using hand tools such as shovels and hoes. Additionally, water transfer technique using backpack sprayers is applied, which allows partial control of the spread.
In the Quarries area, a duty with constant presence of park employees and a specialized fire truck is organized, ready for immediate intervention in case of a potential deterioration of the situation.
Experts emphasize the exceptional importance of quick and coordinated actions, as the fire threatens unique plant species and potentially could cause irreversible ecological damage in the protected territory.
Official representatives of Pirin National Park will provide additional information about the development of the incident in the coming hours.