Fire has burned through 65 hectares of land near the village of Kolarovo, in the Harmanli area. Police in Haskovo say a 79-year-old man sparked the blaze when he dumped ash from his stove near his property. The fire was reported at midday on October 2.

Police say the flames first spread across 15 hectares of vineyards and 45 hectares of dry grass and scrub. The fire also destroyed 150 bales of straw belonging to a farming cooperative. Prosecutors have opened a pre-trial investigation into the case.

Firefighters are in their second day battling a blaze near the village of Gorno Lukovo, in the Ivaylovgrad area, where the flames have crossed into Greece. Twelve fire crews and about 100 firefighters are on the scene, backed by a bulldozer cutting firebreaks, volunteer teams, local residents and helicopters from both Bulgaria and Greece. A separate pre-trial investigation has been opened to find out what caused this fire.

Ivaylovgrad council has declared a partial state of emergency because of the fire.

Senior commissioner Mitko Chakalov, head of the regional fire safety and population protection department in Haskovo, said 15 people in the region have been fined this year, as of August, for starting fires.

There is currently no danger to residential areas around Ivaylovgrad.