Bogdanci, 3 August 2023 (MIA) — The wildfire still burning in the Bogdanci area has destroyed 500 hectares of heathland so far, according to estimates.

Despite the efforts of two firefighting aircraft and a police helicopter, the fire has not been contained, the Crisis Management Center director Stojanche Angelov said at the site of the fire.

The fire erupted around 11 am in the Brdarov Kamen area next to the Dojran Lake pumping station. A team from the Protection and Rescue Directorate as well as local firefighters were battling the blazes well into the evening.

Bogdanci Mayor Blazhe Shapov told MIA the fire passed by some windmills nearby but did not cause any damage.

"We will continue to fight the fire early tomorrow morning, and teams will remain on duty overnight at the scene of the fire. I hope we can manage to put the fire under control and extinguish it tomorrow," Shapov said.

The wildfire broke out in an area of low-growing shrubs and grasses and spread quickly. mr/