Military helicopter joins firefighting efforts in Central Balkan National Park
A Cougar military helicopter has joined the fight against a forest fire that broke out in the Central Balkan National Park. The aircraft took off from the airbase at 2:55 p.m. to provide emergency assistance to the teams working on the ground.
The crew's primary task is to conduct aerial firefighting using specialized equipment for water transport. The difficult mountain terrain makes it extremely hard for firefighters to access the fire fronts, which necessitated the use of aviation.
The helicopter's flights aim to stop the flames from spreading to larger forest areas. The operation is being coordinated by the Ministry of Defense in close cooperation with the General Directorate for Fire Safety and Population Protection.
At present, there is no information regarding any danger to settlements near the fire. The ground teams are continuing their work to bring the situation under control and prevent new outbreaks in the protected area.