Fires scorch Bulgaria, Serbia

Wildfires have wreaked havoc on Bulgaria and Serbia, destroying thousands of acres of forests and farmland, officials said. In Bulgaria, firemen in Kyustendil, Bobov Dol and Doupnitsa fought seven fires Wednesday, the Bulgarian News Agency reported. Since the beginning of August, Southwestern Bulgaria has been hit by 210 fires, up from 41 last year, officials said. About 2,520 acres of crops and grassland have been burned so far. Meanwhile, 246 fires were burning in Serbia on Wednesday, Tanjug reported. The largest of all of the fires was still burning Thursday and had spread through about 123 acres of forest on Mount Zlatibor, Serbian Interior Ministry emergency situations sector chief Predrag Maric told Tanjug Thursday.