The wildfire in Bolyarovo municipality, in the Yambol region, has been put out after burning around 2,000 decares of land, Yambol regional governor Georgi Chalakov told BTA. He said most of what burned was dry grass, scrub and a few small patches of broadleaf forest, mainly in ravines.
This report follows our earlier story on the fire, which broke out earlier today near the village of Strandzha, a border municipality, and spread in three directions, toward Voden and Gorska Polyana.
Bolyarovo mayor Hristo Hristov declared a partial state of emergency for land around Gorska Polyana and Strandzha, and the regional governor switched on the BG-ALERT emergency warning system.
Firefighters, forestry workers, farmers and volunteers fought the blaze, and a military Cougar helicopter was sent to help, cleared by the defence chief of staff. Chalakov said the helicopter made a big difference. No villages or houses were hit.
As for the cause, mayor Hristov pointed to a tractor without a working fire extinguisher that was being used to clear a pasture. "The tractor caught fire first, then the stubble it was clearing, and that's how the real trouble started," he said, calling for tighter checks by the authorities.
Fire crews that came in from neighboring regions have now been released, though standby teams will stay on site overnight.