Dilijan Forests Could Ignite Again: "Hraparak"

According to the newspaper "Hraparak", on December 3 at noon, a large cloud of smoke was seen rising from the top of the forest near the intersection of the Ijevan-Dilijan interstate highway leading to Gosh. Residents of Dilijan reported that the city's waste site is burning once again. Despite significant expenses and efforts to extinguish the fire, firefighters from Vanadzor even suffered a car accident while responding, resulting in casualties and injuries. Ultimately, the sources of the fire that broke out in the Dilijan National Park's forests were extinguished, a fire that caused substantial damage to the Tavush forests, flora and fauna, and the surrounding environment.

It has not yet rained or snowed in Dilijan, and the dry leaves make it easy for a new fire to break out, necessitating heightened caution. Meanwhile, the burning waste site in Dilijan poses the risk of an even stronger fire igniting due to light winds, which can spread flames through the forests aided by embers and birds. This situation is compounded by the fact that the Dilijan waste site is not fenced off, and cows graze there, consuming toxic materials. The Dilijan municipality has not taken measures to fence off the waste site or to prevent further fires. Supervisory bodies, such as the environmental and natural resources inspection agency, also fail to acknowledge the dire condition of the waste site.