Firefighters manage to bring wildfire in Abai region under control

SEMEY. KAZINFORM – Firefighters finally brought the wildfire in Abai region that had been raging for days under control, Kazinform refers to the press service of the Ministry of Emergencies.

The wildfire in Abai region has been raging since Monday, May 22. The blaze started in the territory of Altai Krai in Russia and spread to the area of a neighboring wildlife reserve in Kazakhstan.

Over 800 firefighters were summoned to the scene of the fire. Over 200 units of firefighting equipment, 10 helicopters and a firefighting train were used in the firefighting efforts hampered by wind gusting up to 6-10 m/s.

In order to help firefighting efforts, Minister of Emergencies Yuri Ilyin instructed to regularly monitor the area of the wildfire from the air.

On Thursday, Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov ordered to fully extinguish the focal points of fire and glow nests and estimate the fire damage in the region.

The wildfire covered an area of 3,500 ha.

Presently, according to the ministry, the situation is under control.