Massive fires rage across Bulgaria, destroying forests and homes

Wildfires broke out in nearly 100 areas across Bulgaria on Sunday, leaving many homes burned and forcing residents to evacuate. 

A fire in the Pirin Mountains, located in the southwest of the country, has rapidly spread across thousands of hectares of forest.

More than 200 firefighters who were sent to the area were withdrawn after strong winds threatened their lives, while authorities added that they were awaiting air support from other European Union countries, Reuters wrote.

In western Bulgaria, a fire that broke out on Saturday and quickly spread across the border with Serbia along the Miloslavska mountain range, burning down almost the entire village of Rani Lug.

"It's a merciless tragedy," said firefighter Zvezdelin Vlaykov. "In all my years as a firefighter, I've never seen anything like this."

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Authorities have announced that three villages have been evacuated and that the fire has caused significant damage.

In a statement, the Ministry of Interior described the fire situation in Bulgaria as "dynamic and severe."

On Sunday afternoon, a large fire broke out in the village of Kozarevo in the southeastern province of Yambol, burning down several houses.

And besides Bulgaria, many countries in Southeast Europe have continued to face extreme temperatures and massive fires. 

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Just yesterday, there were reports that Greece was facing major wildfires across the country, as authorities evacuated residents in the worst-hit region, just 30 kilometers north of the capital Athens. 

Meanwhile, firefighters have also been battling blazes in Turkey, amid a scorching heatwave in the Mediterranean, prompting authorities to evacuate over 3,600 people from settlements in two provinces.