Fire in Ruşanlar (Roussa) left without active front

The wildfire that entered the mountainous area of Sofullu (Soufli) municipality from Bulgaria on Sunday was left without an active front, according to the Hellenic Fire Service.

Strong ground and aerial forces remained in the area, focusing on wetting smouldering spots and securing the wider perimeter of the fire.

Initial estimates indicated that the fire had affected an area of around 10,000 stremmas.

Changing winds complicated firefighting

The fire had spread across a large forested area, with changing wind direction and intensity repeatedly shifting the flames from ground-level burning to the tree canopy.

The conditions had made it difficult for firefighters to contain and fully delineate the fire, despite a temporary improvement as winds weakened.

265 firefighters deployed

At the height of the operation, 265 firefighters, 12 specialist foot teams and 59 vehicles had been deployed to the Ruşanlar (Roussa) and Küçük Derbent (Mikro Derio) area.

From the air, 11 aircraft and four helicopters had supported the operation from early morning until late afternoon, while another helicopter had been used for coordination.

The forces had been drawn from Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Western and Central Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly and Central Greece.

The deputy chief of the Fire Service had also been present in the area since Monday.

Authorities maintained readiness

The municipality of Sofullu (Soufli) had remained on full alert, while the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace had contributed heavy machinery to the firefighting operation.

Local authorities had reported a gradual improvement in conditions as wind intensity decreased, while residents had also observed a more favourable situation in the affected area.

With no active front remaining, firefighting forces continued operations to cool remaining hotspots and reinforce the perimeter.

Source:ERT