Bulgaria's fire services will get 285 new fire engines, from light to heavy models, chief commissioner Alexander Dzhartov told BTA. Dzhartov heads the Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate at the Interior Ministry. The first deliveries are due next year, and all the vehicles should arrive within three years.

Dzhartov spoke at the opening of the renovated building of the regional fire safety and civil protection service in Lovech. He said firefighters' clothing, gear and vehicles are renewed all the time, with money from the state budget and from EU projects. The aim is for firefighters to work in good conditions and be better protected when they tackle fires.

"We are extremely active on European projects," Dzhartov said.

The service recently received 3,000 sets of protective clothing for fighting wildfires under such projects. Dzhartov said this is one of the biggest deliveries. Another project paid for 84 drones, which help crews monitor and direct operations during fires and floods.

Last week, all regional fire services in Bulgaria ran an information campaign on risks and on how people can prepare. It marked the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on 13 October.

With the heating season approaching, Dzhartov appealed to the public. "Our appeal is again to citizens: be careful when using heating appliances, whatever kind they are," he said. Appliances should not be left unattended, unless they are made for that use.

More people die in fires in winter than in summer, Dzhartov said. Heating appliances are not always in good condition, and chimneys of solid-fuel stoves are not always cleaned. He said prevention is a constant process.

He said one of the biggest challenges is still to cut the number of deaths and injuries in house fires.