Ministers head to Abai region as forest fire rages
Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has ordered Emergencies Minister Chingis Arinov and Ecology Minister Yerlan Nyssanbayev to travel immediately to the Abai region to coordinate firefighting efforts at the Semey Ormany Nature Reserve, Qazinform News Agency cites primeminister.kz.
Olzhas Bektenov also ordered additional measures to contain the fire and protect nearby settlements.
As of 4:00 p.m. on July 16, 2026, more than 400 firefighters and 100 vehicles are battling the blaze. Aerial water drops totaling more than 100 tons have been conducted.
The Prime Minister is personally monitoring the response efforts.
Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan recorded eight forest fires on July 15 as an ongoing heatwave increased the risk of wildfires across the country.
