Swift Response of Firefighting Teams Saved nearly 40 Houses from the Wildfire near the Village of Palatovo

A wildfire has been burning for a second consecutive day in the area surrounding the village of Palatovo, near Dupnitsa. The flames initially engulfed dry grass and shrubs and have since spread into a coniferous forest. Firefighting teams and personnel from the Southwestern State Enterprise are actively battling the blaze.

Thanks to the swift response of firefighters and forest service workers, nearly 40 homes in the village of Palatovo were saved from the advancing fire. Fortunately, the blaze has now been contained, and there is no immediate danger to residents or the village itself.

The fire reportedly started in a barn on the outskirts of the village. It has scorched around 300 decares (approximately 74 acres) of dry vegetation and shrubs, and has penetrated 50 decares (about 12 acres) of pine forest.

photos by Slavi Iliev, BNT

The fire is currently a ground-level blaze, but the terrain is rugged and difficult to access. On site are three fire service teams from Kyustendil and Dupnitsa, along with 33 forest rangers.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. According to local residents, no one was present in the barn when the fire broke out.

“It was burning intensely. We from the village helped out, too. My house is up there—it came dangerously close to catching fire.”

“There were about 10–15 of us; we managed to put it out here, but over there it kept going. Look how close it is to the houses.”

“The fire has been localized. The terrain is extremely rough, with many ravines. The old cart paths haven't been used in years, overgrown and blocked by fallen trees. But we’re managing.”

There is concern among the emergency teams that rising afternoon temperatures may cause the fire to spread further. However, for now, there is no threat to people or residential buildings.