Emergencies minister warns of high forest fire risk in Kazakhstan this summer
While addressing the meeting of the Kazakh Government, Minister Ilyin said effective forest fire prevention and extinguishing is in the focus of the state civil protection system.
The minister reminded that last year Kazakhstan had registered 751 forest fires which destroyed a total area of 167,000 ha. Direct financial damage from those fires has exceeded 6 billion tenge.
The highest number of foreign fires were reported in East Kazakhstan region (194), Aktobe region (123), and Kostanay region (100). High fire hazard will persist this year as 42 forest fires have already been recorded in the country. The total area of forest fires this year has reached 668 ha.
High temperature of +40°C in southern, eastern and west Kazakhstan, drought and precipitation deficit increase the chances of fires there, Minister Ilyin noted.
Earlier Kazinform reported that last year forest fires’ damage had totaled 6,3 million tenge.