Sleepless Night: Military Helicopters, Hundreds of Firefighters and Volunteers Battled the Massive Wildfire Near Arbanasi

The large wildfire that raged overnight in a forested area above the resort village of Arbanasi has been brought under control. Two military helicopters from the Krumovo airbase were deployed to assist in extinguishing the flames. Volunteers from Northern Bulgaria joined firefighting teams on the ground to help prevent the blaze from reaching nearby homes.

• Large fire broke out near Arbanasi, helicopter joined the firefighting efforts

A sleepless night for hundreds of firefighters and volunteers who came to put out the flames near Arbanasi.

More than 250 people participated in the firefighting efforts, including 16 fire crews from the districts of Veliko Tarnovo, Pleven, Lovech, and Gabrovo. Bulldozers were used to create firebreaks to stop the spread of the fire.

Alexander Dzhartov, Director of the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection (GDFSCP), said:
"We have no active flames at the moment. We are conducting a full perimeter sweep of the fire to ensure there are no breaches or risk of re-ignition. For now, the situation is under control."

Veliko Tarnovo Mayor Daniel Panov added:
"Without the helicopters, we wouldn't have been able to achieve this result."

The fire destroyed 850 decares (85 hectares) of forest area but was contained before it could reach the villa zone of Gorna Oryahovitsa. Local residents were prepared for evacuation and feared for their homes.

Desislava Dimitrova, a local resident, shared:
"We didn’t sleep all night. It was terrifying. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. We were ready with buckets and hoses, but you can’t fight nature."

According to Mayor Panov, residential areas in Veliko Tarnovo such as "Asenov" and "Dervenya", as well as villages like Arbanasi and neighboring municipalities, were at serious risk from the fire's spread.

photos by BGNES

Authorities are investigating all possible causes of the fire. The initial theory is that it was sparked by a downed power line after a tree fell. However, arson has not been ruled out.

Witnesses reported seeing a pine tree fall on electrical wires shortly before the blaze began. The District Prosecutor’s Office in Veliko Tarnovo is conducting the investigation. Scene inspections have been carried out, witnesses interviewed, and further expert analyses have been commissioned.