Efforts to stop forest fire near Rila Monastery continues for second day

Two helicopters from the Bulgarian Air Force are participating today in the firefighting operations in the Rila Monastery area. A Mi-17 helicopter with a crew from the Krumovo air base and a Cougar helicopter took off this morning for the Kodzhakaritsa and Padarska Chuka areas to join the firefighting efforts in Rila Mountain.

The firefighting continues on the highest Bulgarian mountain for a second day. The flames have burned over 60 acres of pine forest and bushes.

As the day progresses, temperatures will continue to rise, further complicating the work of firefighters, military personnel, forest officials and volunteers, BGNES reported.