Wildfire Near Trakia Motorway Brought Under Control, Crews Continue to Monitor the Situation

After a sleepless and tense night, the fire near the 69th kilometer of the Trakia motorway has been brought under control. Work on the ground continues to prevent the fire from reigniting.

Firefighting Efforts Continue on Trakia Motorway as Blaze Is Contained

Although the fire has been contained, numerous smouldering hotspots remain, the fire service said. Fire crews stayed at the scene throughout the night, continuing to monitor the situation and extinguish isolated outbreaks.

Traffic Fully Restored on Trakia Motorway After Wildfire

For a second consecutive day, volunteers from 13 units across the Pazardzhik, Plovdiv and Sofia regions have joined the firefighting effort. Forestry personnel and heavy machinery are also on site.

Work to fully extinguish the remaining hotspots will continue throughout the day. Teams are carrying out inspections of the affected areas. It is still too early to determine the full extent of the damage caused by the fire, although it has been confirmed that vineyards and sections of forest have been destroyed.

Commissioner Kaloyan Donchev, Head of the Operational Centre, Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate: "We expect temperatures to rise and winds to strengthen, which could lead to a deterioration in the situation. At present, we have 14 teams at the scene with around 50 personnel. There are also many volunteers, as well as bulldozers creating firebreaks around the blaze to prevent it from spreading. A large proportion of wildfires are linked to human activity. Whether they result from deliberate actions or negligence, many fires are caused by human activity."

Pazardzhik Regional Governor Borislav Bogoslovov said the most likely cause of the fire was human negligence, specifically a fire set at a roadside rubbish dump.

However, investigators have yet to examine that theory and determine the exact cause of the blaze. Further information is expected as the investigation progresses.