Fires in winter: 5 regions report 11 active hotspots
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Thursday, January 7
There are 11 fires in 5 regions of Georgia. According to the Emergency Management Service, as of the evening of January 6, firefighters in these areas are still trying to localize the fire. The Agency informed that 243 fires have been reported across the country in the last 48 hours, of which 232 have already been extinguished.
"At the moment, fires are under control at all hotspots. Border police helicopters of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are on standby and, if necessary, air equipment will be involved in firefighting, although there is no need for any hearths at this time," the statement reads.
The agency calls on the population to refrain from burning agricultural lands, which poses a threat to both forests and houses.
"Strong winds and dry weather in western Georgia hinders firefighters in extinguishing fires."
Imereti Governor Zviad Shalamberidze has stated that human negligence may be the reason for the fires.
He said that sometimes locals set fires to their agricultural lands (to clean them from grass and other remains) and strong winds spread the fires.
The rare disaster of winter fires has hit western regions of Samegrelo, Imereti, Adjara as well as mountainous Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti in the Northern part of the country and Shida kartli.
In Samegrelo - 96 fires were observed, 84 of them were liquidated, 3 localized, and localization works are underway at 9. In Imereti - 26 centers were registered, 22 of them were liquidated, localization works are underway at 4 centers. In Adjara - 4 centers were fixed, 2 of them were liquidated, localization works are continuing on 2 centers. Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti - 3 outbreaks were observed, one of them was liquidated, localization works are underway at 2 outbreaks. In Guria - 7 outbreaks were observed, all of them were liquidated. No one was injured in the fires. As officials argue, in no case is the population in danger.
As for Shida Kartli, Kaspi, in the Rkoni valley burns the lower cover of a mixed forest, shrubs and trees. There is no settlement near the fire. There are fires in the occupied Gali district as well, almost extinguished. In the villages of Gali district, a large part of the residents’ hazelnut orchards, fields, auxiliary buildings and cattle stalls were destroyed by fires.
In the village of Nabakevi in the occupied Gali district, the fire was extinguished by locals overnight with firefighters. According to the residents of Nabakevi, the houses survived the fire and no evacuation became necessary there. Auxiliary buildings and nuts were burnt. The deciduous part of the forest was burned in the village of Otobaia. Gali TV reported that the evacuation of the population was carried out due to the spread of fires in the forest and settlements. The villages of Zemo Barghebi, Sida and Refi were named.
