Olzhas Bektenov instructs to intensify preparations for wildfire season
Images | Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan
At the Government session chaired by Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov considered the issue of preparedness for the fire-dangerous period, primeminister.kz reports.
Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nysanbayev made a report on measures to prevent large fires, the Minister of Emergency Situations Chingis Arinov reported on the readiness of the Ministry of Emergency Situations units for the fire-dangerous period, the Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiev reported on the work on space monitoring and fire forecasting systems.
According to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the area of the country's state forest fund is 31 million hectares, including 13.9 million hectares covered with forest. Today, the coverage of early detection systems for forest fires in Kazakhstan is 1.3 million hectares. Since the beginning of the year, 25 fires have been registered on a total area of over 4.4 thousand hectares.
Yerlan Nysanbayev reported on the results of inspections of the degree of preparedness of forestry enterprises for the fire season this year. As of 10 April this year, were not ready forestry institutions of Aktobe, Atyrau, East Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, West Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan and Turkestan regions, as well as the reserve Semey Ormani. Representations on elimination of revealed shortcomings and bringing the equipment to full combat readiness have been sent to akimats of regions.
Prime Minister drew attention of akimats to the need to fulfil the new Algorithm of actions of state bodies for prompt response and cooperation in fire extinguishing. In connection with non-compliance with these rules by responsible agencies of Pavlodar region and Abay region during the first fires in the current year, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Internal Affairs were instructed to conduct an investigation with appropriate measures and punishment.
Olzhas Bektenov noted the importance of prompt and coordinated work of all services in the fire-dangerous period, taking into account the forecast of Kazgidromet about hot and dry summer. The regions that need to intensify work on preparation for the season were named.
As inspections have shown, not all regions at the proper level realise the Plan of measures to prevent and eliminate natural fires. The work on creation of mineralised strips around settlements in Zhambyl, Kostanay, Turkestan, Aktobe, Karaganda, Abay, Zhetysu and Ulytau regions has not been started. This is a direct threat to villages in case of steppe or forest fires. In West Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Karaganda, Ulytau regions, the territory of settlements has not yet been cleared of dry vegetation and rubbish. In addition, forestry institutions of Aktobe, Pavlodar, Kyzylorda, Atyrau, West Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Turkestan, North Kazakhstan and Zhambyl regions are not ready for the fire-hazardous period. In this regard, I instruct regional akims to intensify work on preparation for the fire season and take this issue under personal control," Olzhas Bektenov instructed.
Following the results of the meeting Prime Minister set a number of tasks. The Ministry of Emergency Situations together with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, other interested government agencies have been instructed to organise and conduct republican command-staff exercises on response to natural fires by the end of May.
The exercises should work out the issues of extinguishing transboundary fires and interaction with the services of neighbouring states. It is necessary to work out the issue of organising the duty of state aviation helicopters with spillway devices in fire-prone regions. Unmanned aerial vehicles should also be used for visual inspection of forests and steppes," Olzhas Bektenov emphasised.
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources together with Akimats should continue work on further equipping of nature protection and forestry institutions. Also, together with the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, Kazakhtelecom - to increase the coverage of early fire detection systems, modelling situations of fire development and algorithms for their extinguishing. An instruction has been given to develop an appropriate plan-schedule and approve it in the Government, to ensure its implementation.
Akimats have been tasked to continue work on the organisation of fire stations and voluntary fire fighting formations in settlements. It was noted the need to provide in the regions the necessary stocks of fuel and lubricants for the possible involvement of aircrafts, to prepare water sources for water intake by fire trucks and helicopters. Organisational issues are to be resolved by 10 May this year.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs needs to take measures to prevent holidaymakers from staying in forests during the period of high fire danger, to draw up schedules of raids and patrols. A task has been set to prosecute all violators of fire safety requirements.
The Ministries for Emergency Situations, Ecology and Natural Resources, Culture and Information, Akimats have also been instructed to intensify awareness-raising work among the population on the issue of compliance with fire safety requirements.
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