Russias forest fire situation worst over 30 yrs, may deteriorate
Russias forest fire situation worst over 30 yrs, may deteriorate
23 April 2008
published by www.itar-tass.com
Moscow, Russia — This years forest fire situation in Russia is unparalleled over the past 30 years, the chief of the Emergency Situations Ministrys national center for monitoring and forecasting, Vladislav Bolov, told a conference on Wednesday. Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu chaired the meeting.
The situation has had no precedents over the past three decades. As at April 23 the number of fires in some Russian regions and the areas they have affected exceed the many years-old statistics ten times or more, and in some parts of the Volga-Urals region, 50 times. The low level of precipitation is one of the causes, Bolov said.
According to the weather watching service Rosgidromet the further march of events may be very unfavorable.
According to the forecasts the fire risk situation will be developing abnormally, he warned.
