Summary of Information on Fires in Grassland and Shrubland Areas Released

The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia has presented a summary of information regarding fires that have broken out in grassland and shrubland areas.

“Firefighters continue to carry out firefighting operations in various parts of the Republic. Thanks to their intensive and coordinated actions, it has been possible to extinguish and contain numerous fire hotspots, and efforts continue with the same intensity in several directions. The operations on the ground are led by Kamol Tsutsulyan, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Director of the Rescue Service, Major General of the Fire Service.

More than a thousand rescuers from structural and territorial subdivisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are involved in large-scale firefighting efforts, working in continuous cooperation with the Police, Eco-Inspection Service, and the Ministry of Defense.

Thanks to the coordinated and persistent work of the firefighters, the fires in several areas have been extinguished: in the Martuni district of Gegharkunik at the Spitakasar section, in the Vardenyats Pass, near the settlement of Lchashen, in the mountains adjacent to the settlement of Zolakhar, in the mountains of Spitak Pass, Lernajur, and Arevashogh in Lori province, near the settlements of Gogaran and Saralanj, in the vicinity of the settlements of Urasar and Tsaghkaber, in the areas of Ishkhanasar and Iskhanasar-Noravan in Syunik province, near the Upper Hand settlement of Kajaran, in the area called “Dzorkash” in the Makravan neighborhood of Razdan in Kotayk province, and near the Apkaran reservoir in Aragatsotn province.

The fire that broke out in the “Kazachi” section of Dilijan in Tavush province has been isolated. Intensive firefighting efforts continue in the mentioned areas and near the settlement of Dzorashen in Shirak province, as well as in the forest adjacent to the Dilijan serpentine and near the “Mountain Armenia” hotel in Dilijan.

As a result of the fires, primarily grassland areas have burned, and there have been recorded cases of thermal damage to trees. Residents of nearby communities have actively joined the firefighting efforts, assisting rescuers in their complex and responsible work.”