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Wildfires

Bulgaria's Firefighting Efforts: A Comprehensive Report to the National Assembly

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Bulgarian government has undertaken significant efforts to combat wildfires, allocating budget funds and purchasing necessary firefighting equipment. A recent Council of Ministers report provides detailed information on the ongoing and planned projects related to these efforts. Key takeaways from the report reveal the extent of the country's firefighting resources and the measures being taken to enhance preparedness.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Council of Ministers report notes that there are 145 light-duty fire trucks, 422 medium-duty fire trucks, and 43 heavy-duty fire trucks in operation, totaling over 610 fire trucks.
  • The Fire Safety and Civil Protection General Directorate also operates 159 rescue vehicles, three mobile command posts, six vehicles dedicated to monitoring forest fires, and a range of specialized equipment, including tankers, bulldozers, and front loaders.
  • A project worth BGN 1,041,600 aims to implement an information system for early detection of natural fires, monitoring, and real-time display of alarm events.
  • The Ministry of Defence has 440 servicepersons and 93 pieces of equipment on standby to respond to disasters, with two Mi-17 helicopters and two AS 532 Cougar helicopters available for aerial firefighting tasks.
  • Preparations are underway to reinforce units with 800 servicepersons and reduce their readiness time to 60 minutes, with plans to purchase additional equipment and modernize risk monitoring and management technologies.

Statistics:

  • Over 610 fire trucks are in operation, comprising 145 light-duty, 422 medium-duty, and 43 heavy-duty vehicles.
  • The Fire Safety and Civil Protection General Directorate operates 159 rescue vehicles and 57 tankers and water trucks.
  • There are 440 servicepersons and 93 pieces of equipment on standby with the Ministry of Defence.
  • Two Mi-17 helicopters and two AS 532 Cougar helicopters are available for aerial firefighting tasks, with six and seven trained crews, respectively.
  • A decision by the Council of Ministers has allocated BGN 1,000,000 for the acquisition of a system of collapsible water-carrying devices, with 10 new Babmi Bucket systems purchased.
  • Estimates suggest that units will be reinforced with additional servicepersons and equipment to enhance preparedness.

Sources:

  • Council of Ministers report submitted to the National Assembly on July 31.
  • Council of Ministers decision adopted on July 19, 2024.
  • Council of Ministers decision dated July 24, 2024.
  • Ministry of Defence.

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