10:16 30.07.2021

Ukraine sends firefighting aircraft of Emergency Service to Turkey to extinguish large-scale forest fires

2 min read
Ukraine sends firefighting aircraft of Emergency Service to Turkey to extinguish large-scale forest fires

Two firefighting aircraft of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine An-32P depart to Turkey to assist in extinguishing the outbreaks of forest fires that broke out on July 28 in Antalya province and spread to the provinces of Osmaniye, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Adana, Mersin and Mugla, the press service of the State Emergency Service has reported on Friday.

"Now the total area of fires is more than 1,500 hectares. As a result of the fires, four people died and 183 people were injured, of which 58 people were hospitalized, more than 100 private houses and structures were damaged. Rescue services took control over 36 forest fires, extinguishing of 20 hotbeds continues," the report says.

It notes that in order to help Turkish firefighters, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed in February 2020 between the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Turkey on cooperation in the field of disaster prevention and emergency situations and elimination of their consequences, Ukraine sends two crews of An-32P firefighting aircraft with a support group.

"These are experienced specialists who already have experience in mountainous areas and were previously involved in the elimination of large-scale fires in Montenegro, Israel and Georgia," the State Emergency Service said.

They add that in total, as of July 30, more than 4,000 people, 457 units of equipment and 35 aircraft are involved in extinguishing fires, which is complicated by strong wind and hot weather.

AD
AD
AD
AD
AD