The Living Fire - "Focul Viu" - Lopătari and Focsani

The most beautiful tourist attraction that I recently visited was "The Living Fires". A great tourist attraction, but also strange.

So-called "The Living Fires" are a natural phenomenon which can be admired also only in Turkey, Asia, Australia , and in the United States.

Well, in Romania these natural phenomena can be found outside the Carpathian arc and also in the Transylvania basin, but the fires the most "alive" which burn like eternally lit torches, can be admired in two places: in the commune Lopatari, Buzau county and in Andreiasu in Focsani county.

The phenomenon of the fires living forms because of the natural gas emitted from the earth (hydrocarbons) which are lit themselves through the rubbing with the ground, but also because of sunlight, burning continuously. The picture is great, although we not mention the true campfires, but some whose height varies between 20 centimeters and one meter (at Lopătari), depending on the pressure of gas inside and the wind blows. Even if it happens to be extinguished during the rains, they relight.

The fires of Lopatari (Buzau county), are close to the village of Terca, at almost 60 km from the city of Buzau, somewhere on a hill on the left side of the river Slanic, at 840 m altitude. To get to the Lopatari, it goes on the road E85, from Maracineni to Sapoca, under the bridge that crosses the Buzau river, then climbing on the Slanic Valley, on the route Beceni - Vintila Voda - Manzalesti - Lopatari - Terca. The road is paved up to Lopatari village, but after that, to arrive at the "live fire", you have to get on a forest road (about 7 km). But attention! The route is not marked and can be easily missed.

The fires of Andreiasu (Focsani county), are located in the center of the Vrancea county, specifically in the the north of the Arsita village, at 500 m altitude, on the right side of the Milcov Valley. To reach the area, starting from Focsani, you need to take DN 2M Focsani - Odobesti - Andreiasu de Jos, about 38 km from the city of Focsani.

For the off-road enthusiasts, there is the route Andreiasu - Nereju that offers an adventure on wheels and wonderful scenery. And also in the commune Andreiasu there is The reservation of Reghiu-Scruntarul, where you can see fossils of rhinoceros and whales!

Have a nice trip!!!!Less