Resident's tyre-burning sparks pine‑forest fire near Bigla

A fire broke out in a pine forest near the Delchevo village of Bigla after a resident who was burning tyres in his yard lost control of the flames, the director of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue said in a video message.

“An irresponsible person burned tires in his yard in the village of Bigla, which is a dispersed‑type village, i.e. the houses are arranged on several hills. In the process, the person lost control of the fire, after which the fire spread into the nearby forest. At the moment in Bigla there is a large forest fire in a pine forest. The mayor immediately mobilized all available forces from Delchevo. Firefighters are on site, and help was requested from neighboring fire units. At the moment, three 'ert-tractors' from the Directorate for Protection and Rescue are being sent to the scene of the fire, and a police helicopter has already been engaged,” said Stojanche Angelov in the video.

Angelov said that all available firefighting teams from Delchevo were dispatched immediately after the report, and that assistance was requested from units in neighbouring towns. He also confirmed that all three firefighting aircraft from the Directorate were en route to Bigla.

The municipality has put heavy machinery into action — tractors and bulldozers — to open firebreaks between the advancing flames and the village, with the aim of preventing damage to houses.

The person who started the blaze, together with one firefighter and a municipal crew member involved in the initial response, inhaled a larger amount of smoke while trying to contain the fire; they were taken for precautionary medical checks.

Angelov said authorities are making maximum efforts to bring the fire under control and promised to provide further updates as the situation develops.

Photo: press material from the event