Raging wildfire reaches the village of Voden, people forced to flee their homes

The flames of the wildfire raging in the region of Yambol, Southern Bulgaria, reached the village of Voden. People started to self-evacuate.

The fire from the pine forest adjacent to Voden quickly grew and within minutes engulfed the houses of people who had evacuated on their own. They are now in the centre of the village, surrounded by thick smoke, it is very difficult to breather in the area. There are elderly and people with mobility issues.

There are power outages in the village, telecommunications are also disrupted.

Residents of Voden said that no one warned them to evacuate, and they left on their own with whatever they could - medicines, documents or some luggage.

BNT team talked to the district governor of Yambol - we asked why no one had warned people, but he said it was the job of the police and the fire brigade.

Caretaker Minister of Interior Kalin Stoyanov is traveling to Yambol and has ordered the Gendarmerie's available water cannon trucks to also join in battling the fire.

Images by Ivan Yanev

BNT found out that there was indeed a policeman at one end of Voden who warned the residents. The village bell has also started to ring.

There is a nursing home in Voden whose door was locked and it is not clear if people were taken out of there.