ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF FOREST FIRES ON THE TERRITORY OF STARA ZAGORA REGION

Abstract

This article presents the dynamics of ground and canopy forest fires outbreaks on the territory of Stara Zagora region in the period of 1990-2016. We have also made a detailed analysis of the fires with the causes for their occurrence, the burnt area, damages, the number of firefighters and equipment used to extinguish fires by the Regional Directorate of Forestry – Stara Zagora in 2016. It was found that the total number of fires during the studied period was 821, as the largest number was registered in 2001 (115 fires), and the lowest – in 2014 (3 fires). There were three times more ground fires than canopy fires for the whole period of study. The total burnt area was 204 710 decares. This indicator reached its peak in 2007 (52 310 decares), and its lowest point in 2014 (7 decares). The damages inflicted by forest fires on the Regional Directorate of Forestry –Stara Zagora in 2016 amounted to 434 116 BGN. In the same year, the firefighters involved were 449 state forestry employees, 347 fire safety employees, 30 military servants and 154 volunteers. The number of equipment used was: 156 from the state forestries, 109 from the fire safety services, 6 heavy vehicles and 128 mobile devices. In conclusion, in the past 15 years, Bulgaria, and Stara Zagora in particular, have become a high risk territory for forest fire outbreaks, which requires an entirely new level of firefighting practices.