ISTANBUL

Tens of thousands of hectares of forest and agricultural land have burned in a fire in south-central Bulgaria, according to local official.

A fire broke out on July 13 in Svilengrad town in Haskovo Province, located near the Turkish border, Svilengrad Mayor Anastas Karchev told Bulgarian National Radio.

Karchev noted that the fire has been advancing toward the Mladinovo and Mihalich villages in southern Bulgaria.

The fire was brought under control near the town of Lesovo, Karchev said, adding that strong winds in the region were making it difficult to completely extinguish the fire.

Bulgarian fire and civil defense officials reported that more than 200 fires have broken out across the country in recent days.

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz.