The area of the forest fire in the Abai region exceeded 60 thousand hectares

The fire area in the Abai region has doubled, to 60 thousand hectares, reports Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The area of a forest fire in the Abai region has grown by 2 times and reached 60 thousand hectares. On June 9, 8 helicopters were involved in extinguishing the fire, an aerial visual examination of the fire front and water discharge to the fire centers were carried out. In total, 99 water discharges with a volume of 275.5 tons were carried out. Due to the onset of darkness, water discharges were suspended, the Ministry of Emergency Situations informed. On the eve of the order of the Minister of Emergency Situations Yuri Ilyin, additional forces and funds from Almaty, Almaty, Zhetysu and Karaganda regions were sent to the site of the fire in the Abai region. Today, from 4 o'clock in the morning, servicemen of the military units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations 52859 and 28237 from the Karaganda and Almaty regions were sent to the place of the fire. 8 air sides are directed to extinguishing. Currently, fire extinguishing in the Abai region continues in three areas: the village of Celestial, the village of Uspenka, Kashtak forestry. An aerial visual survey of the area is being conducted. At the same time, a mobile control point was additionally sent to the fire site - specially equipped with communication means, in which the control body will also carry out its functions in the emergency zone. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the government to use all available technical and human resources to counter fires in the Abai region, prevent the spread of the disaster and ensure the safety of citizens and their property. Units of the Ministry of Defense are involved in extinguishing fires, Akorda informed. It is reported that due to large-scale fires, the president postponed an official visit to Vietnam scheduled for June 11-13 to a later date. Tokayev plans to visit the Abai region to hold an operational meeting and take measures to assist citizens affected by the disaster. Updated 10.06.2023, 9.30 As the chairman of the Committee of the Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations Nurbolat Derbisov informed, the situation at the fire site has stabilized. At the same time, he noted that extinguishing the fire is complicated by a high temperature background, a large gorenje area and wind gusts. Recall that a large forest fire is being extinguished on the territory of the Batpayevsky forestry of the Abai region. Yesterday afternoon, the fire area reached 30 thousand hectares. Three forestry workers were killed, and search operations are underway for another 11.