Major peat fire in Kaigu Bog, Jelgava Region
Major peat fire in Kaigu Bog, Jelgava Region
07 June 2011
published by www.baltic-course.com
Latvia — Peat on fire in a vast area is reported from Kaigu Bog in Jelgava Region’s Livberze County, the State Fire and Rescue Service’s spokeswoman Viktorija Sembele told LETA.
According to initial reports, peat is on fire in an area of about 60 hectares. Firefighters were informed about the fire at 2 p.m.
Four fire trucks with crews are dousing the flames right now, along with about 30 workers from the local peat extraction company Laflora, Ltd.
Sembele informs that fires such as the one in Kaigu Bog can be complicated because even when it is put out, peat often continues to smolder.
Zemgale Province Jelgava Department Fire Chief Arturs Hrolenko commented that the situation is very serious, and such a fire could take up to a month to extinguish.
Hrolenko mentioned high winds as a negative factor. The fact that reportedly only the peat’s upper layer is burning is hopeful, however.
