How Did Fires Claim Two Lives in Bulgaria During the Heatwave?

Sofia, July 23 (NationPress) Tragically, two individuals lost their lives in distinct fire incidents across Bulgaria, both attributed to human error during an intense heatwave, as reported by officials on Wednesday. Recent days have seen temperatures soaring to approximately 40 degrees Celsius nationwide.

The Ministry of Interior disclosed that the first incident took place on Tuesday afternoon in the northeastern town of Isperih. A 73-year-old woman ignited dry grass in her garden, but the flames quickly spread to adjacent properties. Despite her attempts to douse the fire, firefighters later found her lifeless at the scene.

The second tragedy occurred just hours later in the southern village of Polyanets. A 63-year-old man accidentally ignited a blaze while operating a metal cutting machine, as reported by Xinhua News Agency. The fire swiftly consumed three houses along with dry grass, bushes, and forested areas. Firefighters managed to rescue a 91-year-old man from one of the burning homes, but he later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

Alexander Dzhartov, Director of the Fire Safety and Civil Protection General Directorate, informed NOVA TV on Wednesday that nearly 200 fires had been reported nationwide within the last 24 hours, most of which have been contained.

The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology has predicted soaring temperatures between 35 to 40 degrees Celsius on Thursday, with peaks of up to 42 degrees expected on Friday and Saturday.

To mitigate the escalating fire hazards, the Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that all military training exercises and live-fire drills at training centers and ranges have been suspended since the end of June.

In a concerning report earlier this month, WWF Bulgaria indicated that 90 percent of forest fires in the country are caused by human actions.

Meanwhile, Romania's National Meteorological Administration (ANM) has issued multiple weather alerts as the country prepares for an extreme heatwave combined with unstable atmospheric conditions.

ANM has warned of red code alerts—the highest in their warning system—for extreme heat in Bucharest and several southern counties, where temperatures are expected to reach 40 to 41 degrees Celsius, accompanied by high humidity leading to severe thermal discomfort.

The agency categorizes weather alerts into three risk levels: yellow, orange, and red, indicating increasing severity from potential risk to extreme danger.

The orange code alert is active in some southeastern regions, with highs reaching 38 to 40 degrees Celsius. Additionally, several southern and eastern areas are under yellow code alerts, with daytime highs between 34 to 38 degrees and nighttime lows ranging from 18 to 20 degrees Celsius.

A separate yellow warning has also been issued for unstable atmospheric conditions affecting half of the country, especially in central, eastern, and southern regions, including mountainous areas and parts of the Black Sea coast. Forecasts predict strong winds, thunderstorms, torrential rain, and isolated hail, with heavy rainfall expected. This warning is valid from Tuesday noon to early Wednesday.

According to ANM, the heatwave and associated thermal discomfort are anticipated to persist across western, southern, and parts of central Romania until the week concludes.