UPDATED: Interior Minister: “Abastumani fire localised"
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UPDATED: 17:40
The forest fire near the town Abastumani, southern Georgia has been localised, says Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili.
A short time ago, Mgebrishvili told local media that "all fire pockets" have been extinguished, the fire has been localised and nor works are underway to liquidate it".
Mgebrishvili said that helicopters and firefighting aircraft still remain at the scene but they have stopped working as there is no need of aviation involvement any longer.
"The coordinated work of state departments made it possible that such large-scale fire was localised in such short time", Mgebrishvili said.
He added that investigative activities to find out the cause of forest fires are underway.
EARLIER: 11:39
If the weather is on our side, the Abastumani forest fire will be localised by the end of today, says Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Mgebrishvili.
This morning, Mgebrishvili summed up the fire fighting efforts carried out last night and presented a plan for today.
He said that "we have a positive dynamic” in battling the blaze, which broke out near the southern town of Abastumani on August 29.
"We can say that all the active spots of fire have already been extinguished. Aviation and manpower are working effectively. We have very well-managed communication. Helicopters are given very specific directions as of where to pour water. By the end of the day - if the weather is on our side – the fire will be localised”, Mgebrishvili said.
Interior Minister says that all active fire spots have been extinguished. Photo: MIA's press office.
As of this morning, 1,000 firefighters, rangers and police officers are mobilised at the scene to participate in the fire extinguishing works.
A total of 5km of roads have been paved in different directions in the forest so that fire engines can approach the burning areas easily.
Currently, two Georgian, one Azerbaijani and two Turkish helicopters as well as one Ukrainian firefighting aircraft are trying to extinguish the fire.
Mgebrishvili said that if needed, an additional aircraft from Turkey and two helicopters from Iran are also ready to arrive in Georgia and join the efforts.
UPDATED: Ukraine will send a firefighting aircraft to help Georgia fight a forest fire that broke out yesterday near Abastumani, a small town and climatic spa in Georgia’s Samtskhe-Javakheti region.
A fire erupted today at the forest near Abastumani, a small town and climatic spa in Georgia’s Samtskhe-Javakheti region. Georgia’s Emergency Situations Agency reported, manpower and all necessary technique are already mobilised at the scene.
A fire erupted over about 0.5 hectares of forest lands on a mountain near the village of Sviri in the Akhaltsikhe municipality in southern Georgia yesterday evening. An Interior Ministry helicopter has been working to localise the fire since this morning.
The forest fire in Georgia’s Borjomi Gorge has been extinguished and firefighting crews from neighbouring countries are leaving the gorge.
About 200 hectares of forests have been burnt during the Borjomi Gorge fire that lasted seven days, the Prime Minister says.
UPDATED: The fire that broke out on the Mount Mtatsmnida in Georgia's capital Tbilisi this afternoon has been localised, the Emergency Management Agency announced. It added that now works are underway to fully extinguish it.
A fire has broken out on the Kokhta mountain in Georgia’s eastern region of Kakheti today. Two Iranian helicopters will assist the Georgia Emergency Service to extinguish the fire.
Firemen, fire engines and helicopters are still fighting forest fires at four different locations across Georgia. This morning, the Ministry of Internal Affairs released a statement providing updates for the wildfires.