Ecology

18:07, 22.10.2008 | Primorye Territory

The Primorye territory’s taiga is on fire at an area of 1,600 hectares. The regional forestry department reported that a total of eight fires have been registered in the Dalnegorsk, Chuguyevo, Pozharsk, Ternei, Yakovlevsky and Anuchinsky districts. Active fire fighting efforts are underway in these territories. Over 230 people have been involved in the effort.

They are using back-pack sprayers and pneumatic fire extinguishers. The operation also involves nine fire engines, three bulldozers, tractors. Parachutists of the Primorye air forest protection base are working in remote areas that are hardly accessible. A plane and two helicopters are engaged.

Rescuers have said that the main cause of the fires in the territory is violation of fire safety rules at forests by the local population, hunters and pickers of wild-growing herbs.

A working group continues its operation at the Far Eastern regional centre of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry to monitor the fire situation in the region and makes decisions in the event of a fire hazard to attract additional forces for extinguishing wildfires.

The situation may improve in several days: a powerful cyclone with heavy precipitation is expected to come to the Primorye territory.