In the southwest region of Bulgaria, a forest fire broke out on Tuesday evening near the village of Strumyani in the Blagoevgrad district.
The fire has threatened nearby populated areas, prompting authorities to take action.
Residents of two nearby villages have been ordered to evacuate as the fire creeps closer, putting the safety of the villagers at risk.
This development was reported by the BGNES news agency.
Located south of the capital Sofia and near the borders with North Macedonia and Greece, the area has seen several firefighting units deployed to contain the blaze.
The villages of Tsaparevo and Karpelevo were ordered to evacuate, with about a hundred people being moved out of Tsaparevo, where the threat was considered more severe.
Not all residents agreed to evacuate.
Specialized aircraft were also brought in to assist with the firefighting efforts.
As of Wednesday morning, the fire had been contained but was not yet fully extinguished. The blaze has affected approximately 1,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land.
In addition to Bulgaria, other parts of the region are also battling fires. In southern Croatia, a large forest fire threatens a national park and several villages. Greece, too, has faced a summer of widespread forest fires, leading to mass evacuations of tourists in some areas.
