Specialized teams from the Sofia Directorate "Fire Safety and Population Protection" (SDFSP) and the State Forestry are conducting large-scale preventive inspections in mountain areas around Sofia. The targeted inspections cover popular tourist destinations such as Vitosha Nature Park, Plana and Lyulin mountains, as well as the adjacent slopes of the Stara Planina.
According to official data, the capital region has a built volunteer corps of 80 people from the Sofia Municipality. In addition, five additional volunteer formations created by various legal entities have been registered.
The experts' analysis points to two main causes of fires in urban environments: careless actions with open fire and technical problems related to electrical devices in emergency modes.
The statistics for the period from July 1 to August 12, 2025 reveal alarming trends. The total number of incoming signals reaches 836, which represents an increase of 71 cases compared to the same period in 2024. The recorded data also includes 45 false alarms and ten cases of arson.
The fire statistics are extremely indicative - a total of 608 fires have been extinguished, which is 81 more than the previous year. Human losses are three injured and one fatality.
The detailed classification of fires reveals a worrying picture: 44 occurred in residential and administrative buildings, one in an industrial facility, five in temporary structures, and 31 in vehicles. One forest fire, two field fires, and a significant number of inflammations in vegetation and waste have also been recorded.
The specific data include 130 fires in dry grass in urbanized territories, 28 outside populated areas, four in stubble fields, 236 in waste, and 21 in open facilities, which poses serious challenges for fire services.