Bulgaria is stepping up nationwide fire prevention and response measures as the country enters the high-risk summer fire season, with coordinated action between the Interior Ministry, Defense Ministry, and Agriculture Ministry.
Authorities said the entire state capacity, including organizational, technical, and human resources, is being mobilized to reduce the risk of wildfires and improve response times once incidents occur. Officials warned that this year’s fire season is expected to be particularly severe.
Interior Ministry representatives said coordination between institutions has been strengthened under instructions from the prime minister, with a unified action plan covering prevention, detection, and rapid response. Ivan Demerdzhiev said, “All responsible ministries have joined forces to create an action plan, from prevention to the most effective response to fires that occur.” He added that fire-risk monitoring will be intensified, with emergency teams positioned closer to high-risk areas when danger levels rise.
He also noted expanded use of drones to identify and track fire outbreaks more quickly, allowing faster deployment of firefighting forces. Cooperation with forestry services and local authorities will be reinforced, while Border Police assets will be used mainly for transport of personnel and equipment, as well as surveillance.
