When we look at the Bulgarian firefighters and the international teams, we see the real meaning of duty, of professionalism and European solidarity in action, Interior Minister Daniel Mitov wrote on Facebook.

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He expresses deep gratitude to all Bulgarian firefighters, volunteers and army personnel for their professionalism, dedication and fortitude. We also thank our European partners for their swift reaction and the solidarity demonstrated, Daniel Mitov writes. The battle is now on against four major active wildfires which takes up a serious resource – human, technical and aerial, he writes. A military Cougar helicopter, as well as air crews from Slovakia and Hungary are now engaged in the efforts to extinguish the most critical fire of them all – the fire close to Ilindentsi village. Romania has sent a Black Hawk helicopter to Bulgaria to help in the battle against the wildfires, the Bulgarian news agency BTA reports from the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU) in Romania. This is the helicopter’s first mission outside Romania. “It is now yet known how long the mission will continue but Romania responded to Bulgaria’s appeal under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism,” said Bogdan Toma, spokesperson for the Department for Emergency Situations.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov
Translated and posted by Milena Daynova
Photo: BTA