Stara Zagora battles surge of fires as heat wave fuels dozens of blazes

Fire officials in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, warned that the current heat wave has triggered an unusually intense fire season. In the past nine days, roughly 100 fires have been recorded, bringing the year‑to‑date total to about 1,000 incidents across the province. A large blaze near the western part of the city engulfed a wheat field covering about 300 decares, threatening nearby warehouses, industrial sites and a bus depot. Quick action by four fire crews and the use of specialized drones helped contain the spread.

On June 28, a separate fire broke out at an abandoned building behind the Zora store. Three fire teams responded promptly, limiting the flames and preventing damage to surrounding residential and commercial structures. No injuries were reported in either incident. Authorities linked the fires to the extreme temperatures above 35 °C and, in some cases, to human carelessness such as an unattended wood‑burning stove.

Fire department director Stoyan Kolev emphasized the growing workload for firefighters, who are also monitoring two highways and an 800,000‑decare agricultural area during the harvest season. Volunteer groups and advanced drone surveillance are being deployed to improve response times and coordination.