Governor of Abai region reports on current situation with wildfires

While addressing the Tuesday meeting of the Kazakh Government, governor Urankhayev confirmed the wildfires spread to the area of 60,000 ha, including 43,000 ha in active thermal point.

According to him, 300 firefighters are battling the blaze in the west and over 200 are battling it in the east.

A total of 1,532 people, 321 units of firefighting equipment and 14 helicopters are involved in the firefighting efforts in the region, the governor said.

«People were evacuated to Semey and Borodulikha village from the fire-affected areas. The raging wildfires destroyed three houses and two units of firefighting equipment,» Urankhayev added.

Earlier it was reported that Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov had expressed his condolences to bereaved families in Abai region.