Today at the Government session, chaired by Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, measures to ensure preparedness for the fire hazard period were considered. Reports were made by Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Zulfiya Suleimenova, First Deputy Minister for Emergency Situations Ibrahim Kulshimbayev, as well as the akims of North Kazakhstan, Karaganda and Kostanay regions.

According to Kulshimbayev, about a thousand forest and steppe fires and four thousand wildfires are registered annually in the country, posing a threat to the population, property and nature.

"Last year's wildfires showed the severity of possible negative consequences due to violations of fire safety requirements. There were 801 fires in the country's forest fund alone; the fire destroyed 104,000 hectares. Direct material damage excluding environmental damage exceeded 20 billion tenge. A tragic example was the large fire in Kostanay region in September last year in the Basaman and Semiozernyi forestry. As a result, one person died and 91 dwellings were destroyed by fire. Damage from the fire amounted to more than 18 billion tenge, the area covered by the fire amounted to more than 39 thousand hectares," he said.

As of today, five out of the eleven instructions given by the Head of State at the meeting of the Operational Headquarters have been fulfilled. These are instructions to assess real emergency preparedness, strengthen fire protection of facilities, restore life in the affected areas, compensate for damages, and raise salaries of firefighters. As a result, the average total preparedness of the central and local executive bodies for emergencies is 71%.

A draft Comprehensive Civil Protection Priority Action Plan for 2023-2027 has subsequently been drawn up to implement the remaining six instructions. For example, one of the instructions is to improve professional training. In Kokshetau it is planned to build a new complex of the Civil Protection Academy within the framework of this instruction. A land plot of 8.7 hectares has been allocated for this purpose by the City Akimat.

"According to Kazgidromet forecasts in the coming fire-hazardous period the temperature will average +25ºС. And in the southern, eastern and western parts of the republic deficit of precipitation is predicted with an increase in temperature to +30ºС. This significantly increases fire risks in the forest fund," added the First Vice Minister for Emergency Situations.

Since the start of the year, 122 forest fires have already been reported, with a total burning area of more than 19,000 ha and more than 51m tenge worth of damage.

The situation is similar in the steppe areas. Last year, for example, 111 steppe fires were recorded, and the area covered by the fire was 55,000 hectares. At the same time, two people were killed and three were injured, and about 500 cattle were burned.

Due to the lack of mineralised strips, 127 fires were transferred from steppe to forest areas, the main share of which occurred in forests under the control of local executive bodies. This year, since the beginning of the fire-hazardous period, two steppe fires with a fire area of 780 ha and 605 steppe fires with an area of 2,503 ha have been recorded.

Kulshimbayev noted that the increase in temperature in the regions and the rapid development of fires due to gusty winds worsens the fire situation in the residential sector. There have been 14 cases of dry grass fires spreading to residential houses and summer cottages. For example, a reed fire in Petropavlovsk has spread to nearby private dwellings.

The regions have already started implementing preventive measures. The fire brigade has resumed making visits to farms, carrying out briefings, inspecting national parks and nature reserves, checking fire extinguishing equipment and explaining preventive measures.

Together with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, a special interdepartmental plan has been approved and agreed upon with the state bodies concerned. In order to ensure space monitoring in practically all regions, contracts have been concluded with Kazakstan Garysh Sapary. Ten fire-fighting and tactical exercises with subdivisions of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia and the Kyrgyz Republic are planned to practise interaction in the border territories.

Despite the measures taken, the forestry institutions in the regions are not fully prepared. In general, their level of equipment with tank trucks, fire stations, towers and pumps is insufficient. Moreover, due to operational wear and tear 52% of the available equipment is not ready for liquidation of natural fires. In some regions, the equipment of nature protection and forestry institutions does not exceed 50%.

A representative of the Ministry of Emergency Situations also spoke about the work of volunteer fire brigades and fire posts in rural areas where the ministry has no units.

More than four thousand volunteer firefighting units have been set up by the akimats. Last year, volunteers eliminated 27 per cent of steppe fires and ignitions on their own without the involvement of the state fire-fighting service. The akimats also set up 591 fire stations, which provide fire protection for around two thousand settlements with a total population of more than 2 million people.

"The Ministry of Emergency Situations has handed over 275 serviceable fire tank trucks to local executive bodies for technical enhancement. There are 768 pieces of various equipment in service at fire stations," Ibrahim Kulshimbayev said.

An analysis of the causes of natural fires shows that about 40% of fires are caused by natural phenomena and more than 50% are the result of human activity. In this connection, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the police and akimats are faced with the urgent issue of strengthening control over the observance of fire safety requirements by people and agricultural organisations.

Akimats need to timely and promptly respond to an increase in the fire danger class in the forests, limiting access to forest areas. It is necessary to develop wide explanatory work with citizens on the need to comply with fire safety rules and measures of responsibility for their violation.

At present the territorial subdivisions of the Ministry for Emergency Situations are inspecting all settlements and informing the regional akimats about the implementation of fire prevention measures by district and rural akimats. More than two thousand warnings have been issued on the unpreparedness of settlements for the fire-hazardous period.

The issue of acquiring spillway devices for aircraft involved in natural and man-made emergencies is also under consideration. Once the statutory procedures have been completed, the spillway devices will be purchased and put into service.

In the light of the emerging situation and the available forecast data, regional leaders and concerned public authorities need to organise:

• water intake areas for aircraft and piers for fire-fighting equipment;
• Discuss the actual situation in detail at meetings of the regional commissions so that effective work can begin in the coming days to reduce wildfire risks and ensure the readiness of forces and resources;
• Take control over the implementation of the special inter-agency plan for the prevention and suppression of forest and steppe fires in the country.

The total area of the state forest fund of the country is 30.9 million hectares, of which 25.2% are administered by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources represented by the Committee of Forestry and Fauna, while the remaining 73.7% are assigned to the akimats. This was reported by the head of the department, Suleimenova, at the government meeting.

"In 2022, there were 801 cases of forest fires on the territory of the State Forest Fund on the area of 104.5 thousand ha, including the area covered with forests - 49.9 thousand ha. Of the 801 cases, 444 (or 55%) forest fires occurred due to thunderstorm discharges, 127 cases (or 15%) arose as a result of transition of steppe fires on land of state forest reserve, 208 cases or 26% occurred due to unknown reasons," the Minister of Ecology said.

Forest fires on large areas were allowed on the territory of forestry and environmental institutions of Kostanay, Almaty, Karaganda, East Kazakhstan regions. Including 14.3 thousand ha of state nature reserve "Korgalzhyn" (non-forest area), 15.2 thousand ha of state nature reserve "Ile-Balkhash" (non-forest area), 1.6 thousand ha of state national nature park "Katon-Karagai".

The main causes of the spread of large wildfires:

• lack of timely action by forest owners to extinguish fires in the initial stages;
• remote and inaccessible areas for firefighting;
• the transition of steppe fires to state forest lands;
• poorly equipped forest guards with machinery and equipment.

Then Zulfiya Suleimenova reported on the readiness of state forest owners for natural fires this year. Thus, territorial subdivisions of the Committee of Forestry conducted inspections of all 152 state forest owners on their preparation for the fire season. As a result, average preparation of forest institutions was established. The main reason is low material and technical base and lack of observation fire towers in accordance with forest inventory materials. Equipping of forest institutions of region akimats makes up 69% of normative. The equipment of environmental institutions subordinated to the Ministry is 71%.

As part of preparations for the current year's fire season, a set of preparatory measures has been carried out. A joint action plan has been adopted with the Ministry of Emergency Situations to reduce the risks of forest and steppe fires in the republic during the 2023 fire season and an agreement on the procedure for engaging the state fire-fighting service to extinguish natural fires in the state forestry fund.

Interaction and information exchange with the Crisis Management Centre of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan has been organised.

Meetings were held with all structural subdivisions of environmental protection agencies, and forest fire services were trained and instructed in preparation for the fire season and forest fires.

State forest owners have developed and agreed upon plans of interaction to combat forest fires with the forestry departments of region akimats, environmental agencies of the Ministry and subordinate organisations of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

In cooperation with Garysh Sapary JSC, space monitoring of forest areas is carried out.

In order to detect and fight small fires in a timely manner, aerial patrols are carried out in 9 regions covering 8.8 million hectares.

At the same time, despite the measures taken, 122 forest fires have been recorded this year on a total area of more than 19.8 thousand ha, of which 1.3 thousand ha have been covered by forest. Most of the fires occurred in impassable swampy areas covered with reeds.

In the framework of the Comprehensive Civil Protection Priority Plan 2023-2027, which was adopted this year, the national budget has been refined:

• for material and technical support of environmental protection agencies8.2 billion tenge, which will increase the equipment to 77% of the normative, and in the future, by 2027, to 100%. The purchase of swamp walkers and mowers for wetlands covered by reeds is also under consideration this year;
• for the introduction of an early fire detection system - 4.1 billion tenge. By 2027, funding in this area will cover 15% of protected areas.

"In addition, from 1 July this year, the salaries of forest protection agencies will be increased," Suleimenova said.

According to Aidarbek Saparov, the akim of North Kazakhstan region,  since the beginning of the year the region has seen 10 forest fires on an area of 47.5ha and also 11 steppe fires on an area of 65ha.

"On 7 May this year in Petropavlovsk, reeds caught fire on an area of 7 hectares. Due to strong wind the fire spread to the residential sector and destroyed 9 houses, 2 houses were damaged. Thanks to the timely mobilization of resources and the involvement of district emergency units, it was possible to avoid the spread of the fire to other properties. As a result, 25 houses were saved, 40 people, including 9 children, were evacuated. 10 gas cylinders were evacuated from the burning houses and 30 from other houses. A total of 48 vehicles and 310 personnel were involved in extinguishing the fire," the head of the region said.

A meeting was held on the spot with the victims. The residents were offered accommodation in a college dormitory, which they declined. At present, all the victims have been temporarily moved into flats. They are being helped to recover their lost documents. Work is under way to assess the property and make amends.                                                  

"In general, to prevent forest fires this year, a resolution was adopted by the region Akimat on prevention of forest-steppe fires; there is an agreement with the border regions of the Russian Federation on cooperation in case of natural fires in the border areas," Saparov added.

As part of the Plan of interaction of forces and means for the fire season, 52 operational groups, 57 fire stations, there are 488 fire brigades. Over the last 2 years, 27 units of specialised equipment worth 285 million tenge have been purchased.

For the current year, 131 million tenge has been allocated for the purchase of 12 fire-fighting modules. Mineralised lanes have now been completed.

In Karaganda region the work on mineralisation of strips is 25% complete. Such a low figure, according to the region Akim Yermaganbet Bulekpaev, is due to the fact that most of the strips were treated last autumn and are in working order.

"The protective strips will be maintained as they overgrow with grass 3-4 times until the end of the fire-hazardous period. The main work is planned for May-June this year. This work is under constant control," the head of the region reported.

A total of 1.5 billion tenge has been allocated for material and technical equipment for the current year, and campaigning and prevention work is under way. A total of 62 mobile groups have been set up and have carried out 95 raids.

In Kostanay region since the beginning of the fire-hazardous period there have been 169 natural fires and ignitions, including 14 forest fires on an area of 266.6 hectares. All of them were promptly eliminated, the region Akim Kumar Aksakalov reported.

"The positive temperature conditions in March, windy conditions and lack of rainfall contributed to the early onset of the fire danger period," he said.

The regional Akimat, taking into account the situation that occurred in the region last year, has taken the following measures.

This year, the budget for environmental protection measures has been doubled, bringing it to 7 billion tenge. Thirty-four round-the-clock surveillance cameras have been installed in areas of the state forest fund, which is four times more than last year. They are an alternative to observation towers.

With regard to personnel policy, the forest fire brigade staffing was increased by 226 and staffing was 100%. In addition, salaries in this area have been increased by 57%. In order to provide forest farms with specialised machinery, 40 tractors were purchased, 6 fire-fighting vehicles are at the procurement stage. As a result, the staffing level will increase from 76% to 90%.

The forces and means of the Department of Emergency Situations and voluntary fire-fighting units are in constant readiness. In order to prevent fires, videos are broadcast in the media and awareness-raising and preventive work is carried out to ensure fire safety in forest-steppe and summerhouse areas.

#Government session #Ministry for Emergency Situation #Ministry of Environment #Regions