Rescuers rule out threat to populated areas due to forest fires in Dagestan

Forests are burning in the Untsukulsky and Tlyaratinsky districts of Dagestan. The Ministry of Emergency Situations assured that there is no threat to populated areas, local residents are taking part in extinguishing the fire.

Rescuers are extinguishing two forest fires in the mountainous regions of Dagestan. 5.2 km from the village of Untsukul, in a hard-to-reach mountainous area, a ground fire was recorded that covered 9 hectares of forest land. 82 people and 10 units of equipment from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Forest Fire Center, as well as the local population are involved in extinguishing the fire. A Mi-8 helicopter of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia was brought in to extinguish the fire, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for Dagestan reported today. In the Tlyaratinsky district, a landscape fire has covered 5 hectares of forest, located in a hard-to-reach area. Dry stumps and forest litter are burning. The firefighting effort involves 73 people and 12 units of equipment from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Forest Fire Center, as well as volunteers from the local population, the department reported on its Telegram channel.

The Untsukul District Administration reported that the fire has gotten closer to the villages - the grass is burning 3-4 km from the village of Untsukul and 1.5 km from the village of Gimry. The fire area is 9 hectares - on forest lands. "Extinguishing is complicated by the difficult terrain, the lack of access for specialized equipment. The approach to the fire site is complicated by the difficult terrain, the slope angles reach 80 degrees," the report says.

By 13:00 Moscow time, the firefighters had laid about 2 kilometers of mineralized strip.

The fire in the Tlyaratinsky district is approaching the villages of Nikar and Sikar, wrote Magomed Bisavaliev, director of the Avar Music and Drama Theater, in his Telegram channel on the evening of August 30. "I hope that they will save the villages and be able to localize the fires," he added.

"Kavkazsky Uzel" also wrote that the fire in the forest near the village of Inkuchimahi began at the end of March, local residents complained about the inaction of the authorities. According to them, the fire was extinguished by the villagers themselves, and the representative of the emergency services only asked them for photos and videos for the report. By April 9, the fire was extinguished.

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