Some 2,000 decares (500 acres) of dry grass and scrub burned near the village of Izvorishte, near Burgas, on 9 October. Burgas regional police said the fire started from a pile of dry vegetation lit by a 53-year-old man and his 85-year-old father. Police have opened pre-trial proceedings.

This report follows our earlier story on the fire around Izvorishte, Draganovo and Bryastovets, which was contained with no reported injuries.

The fire began in the "Piramidata" villa zone. Police received the alert at 15:14, and officers from the Second District Police Department in Burgas identified the two men during the investigation.

Strong wind quickly drove the flames through the dry grass and bushes, and the fire spread beyond its first perimeter. It reached several yards in the villa zone and moved towards the land of Bryastovets and Draganovo. The wind also blew thick smoke towards Draganovo.

At first, 3 fire engines with 13 firefighters went to the scene. Later the number rose to 9 engines. Volunteers and local residents helped the firefighters, and heavy machinery cut firebreaks. The crews worked until they had brought the hotspots under control.

Senior commissioner Nikolay Nikolaev, head of the regional fire safety directorate in Burgas, led the firefighting. He said no one was injured. The fire was fully put out on the evening of 9 October. According to Bulgarian National Radio, an orchard also burned.

Atanas Panayotov, mayor of Bryastovets, called on people to keep watch on the situation because the fire could have reached their homes. There were also fears at the Animal SOS shelter for stray animals in the area.

The Ministry of Environment and Water expressly requires local authorities to stop people burning stubble and dry vegetation in the fire-risk season.

The area near Izvorishte has burned before, and those fires also hit villa properties.