The Deputy Governor of Blagoevgrad, Elkhan Kalkov, has expressed fears about the potential spread of a raging fire in the Greek part of Mount Slavyanka into Bulgarian territory. In response to this looming threat, Kalkov emphasized the importance of establishing collaborative efforts with Greek authorities to tackle the fire and prevent it from crossing the border. He highlighted the readiness of Bulgarian teams to assist in extinguishing the fire on the Greek side to contain the situation before it escalates further.
Despite the relatively calm situation in the Slavyanka mountain on the Bulgarian side currently, the presence of isolated smoldering stumps indicates lingering risks, especially in the westernmost part where smoldering outbreaks and unquenched fires in Greece pose a continued danger. Elhan Kalkov underscored the heightened risk during the afternoon when factors like high temperatures and winds could facilitate the transfer of the fire into Bulgarian territory, necessitating a concentrated deployment of resources in the westernmost section of the mountains to preemptively address any potential threats.
Furthermore, Kalkov noted the absence of proactive measures on the Greek side to address the fire, suggesting that the ongoing fire outbreak might not be a priority amidst the multitude of similar incidents occurring within the country. This lack of action on the Greek side adds to the urgency for coordinated efforts between Bulgaria and Greece to mitigate the fire's impact and safeguard both countries' territories from further devastation.