Over 800 hectares of forest burn in Kherson region in week - head of State Forest Agency
During the week from April 25 to May 1, forest fires broke out on a total area of over 800 hectares in the part of Kherson region temporarily occupied by Russian troops, while the occupiers did not allow Ukrainian forestry workers to extinguish fires.
"The fire has engulfed more than 800 hectares of forest in occupied Kherson region. And this is just for the last week! The orcs did not allow the forest guards to approach the fires until the fire reached their checkpoints. According to the latest data, the fire is localized, but there has been no communication with our colleagues for the last two days," head of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine Yuriy Bolohovets wrote on Facebook on Monday.
According to him, the number of fires in the region increased by 2.6 times compared to the same period in 2021, and the average fire area increased by 16 times.
"Friends, I remind you that there is now a ban on visiting the forest almost throughout the country. I ask you to refrain from walking in the forests, especially in regions that have recently been liberated from the invaders. This could cost you your life," Bolokhovets said in the message.
As reported, in Ukraine at the beginning of April, 600,000 hectares of forest land, six regional departments of the State Forest Agency, 17 enterprises of the department and 136 forestries were in the combat zone with Russian invaders.
The forestries of Sumy region suffered the most damage from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, since almost all the forestry enterprises of the region were either in the zone of active hostilities or in the occupied territories.