Military from Blagoevgrad put out a large fire in "Rila" National Park

A disaster response unit, made up of servicemen from the 3rd Mechanized Battalion in Blagoevgrad, is continuing its efforts to tackle the massive wildfire that has been raging above the village of Gorno Osenovo for a third day. The operation, led by the 3rd Brigade Command, is aimed at containing the spreading flames in the hard-to-reach mountainous area. This information was officially confirmed by the press center of the Ministry of Defense.

The fire is spreading within the territory of Rila National Park, where the dry terrain and strong winds further complicate the actions of the ground teams. The smoke screen can be seen for kilometers, covering the mountain slopes and creating a tense atmosphere in nearby settlements. Residents are anxiously watching the firefighters' battle against the natural disaster.

Air and Ground Support

Today, 20 servicemen joined the fight against the fire, operating under the direct leadership of Senior Lieutenant Ivan Dukov. They are working in close cooperation with firefighters and forest officials, creating firebreaks and extinguishing individual hotspots that threaten to spread. Their efforts are critical to containing the fire's perimeter.

In addition to the ground forces, air support was also involved yesterday. A crew from the Air Force, based at Krumovo Air Base, took off with a Cougar helicopter to assist the operation from the air. The helicopter is dousing the hotspots with water, which is particularly effective for reaching inaccessible areas and slowing the spread of the flames.

The battle with the fire continues with full force, with the goal of its complete containment and suppression to prevent further damage to the protected nature of Rila National Park. It remains unclear how long the final control of the situation will take, but all engaged teams are working tirelessly.