Tengrinews.kz - A wildfire covering an estimated area of 5,000 hectares, sparked by the burning of grass, nearly destroyed a forest in the Kostanay region.
The fire occurred on Tuesday, 15 kilometers from the village of Arka in the Kamystinsky district.
"Wind gusts of up to 25 meters per second could have caused the fire to spread, posing a threat to the state forest reserve," according to a press release.
Rescue teams, including aerial firefighting units, promptly arrived at the scene. In total, around 200 personnel were involved in the operation, along with 33 units of equipment from the Department of Emergency Situations, local authorities, helicopters, and a firefighting train. Over 14 cubic meters of water were dropped on the fire hotspots.
"Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the rescuers and the firefighting measures taken both from the air and on the ground, the fire has been fully extinguished. The exact area affected is still being determined," the press service explained.
The department added that there were no casualties or injuries.
Recall: on October 6, a fire broke out in dry grass near the village of Koyandy in the Karkaraly district of the Karaganda region. A steppe fire reached the territory of a local farm in the Pavlodar region, covering an area of about 6,000 hectares. The Ministry of Emergency Situations has reported the successful extinguishment of a natural fire in Pavlodar region.
