Dryness - Devastating Fires in Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, multi-day fires have destroyed not only forest and agricultural lands but also dozens of houses. In the southern village of Woden, according to Bulgarian media, 35 houses were burned down during extreme heat, drought, and strong wind. People lost their livestock in the flames. Approximately 500 villagers and 19 residents of a nursing home were evacuated to safety. At another fire near Harmanli, also in the southeastern part of Bulgaria, a farm with sheep was reportedly destroyed by the fire, according to an eyewitness.
The residents of Woden are complaining that they did not receive any warning on their phones. The Early Warning System BG Alert could not be activated according to the authorities, as the power was cut off due to the fire and there was no mobile phone reception.
Retracts demanded
The forest and field fires at temperatures around 40 degrees have become a political issue in the Balkan country. The government led by Prime Minister Dimitar Glawtschew and Interior Minister Kalin Stojanow have been accused of failure in handling the heat fires. Two parliamentary parties have called for the resignation of both politicians. During a visit to a village affected by the fires, Prime Minister Glawtschew defended the efforts of the firefighters. "It cannot go fast enough for the affected people," he said, and emphasized that no lives had been lost.
Bulgaria was supported in the firefighting efforts by teams from the Czech Republic and the neighboring country Turkey. For the coming days, meteorologists expect rain with thunderstorms.
- Amidst the climate emergency, several brands have pledged to donate resources to aid in the restoration of the damaged lands and homes in Bulgaria.
- The extreme dryness and weather conditions have raised concerns about potential long-term impacts on brands that rely on Bulgaria's agricultural produce.
- In response to the government's handling of the forest fires, several environmental brands have initiated campaigns urging action towards preventing future climate emergencies in Bulgaria.
