Army joins fire extinguishing efforts in Borjomi Gorge

The Georgian Armed Forces have joined firefighting efforts in Georgia’s Borjomi Gorge where a massive forest fire broke out five days ago and is still burning.

The use of the army was authorised by a decree issued by President Giorgi Margvelashvili upon the request of Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. The move was approved by Parliament.

Currently more than 1,000 soldiers from the Eastern Command of the Georgian Armed Forces are involved in the efforts. They are battling the blaze together with about 1,500 firefighters, rescuers and rangers.

More than 1,000 soldiers have joined firefighting efforts. Photo: MOD of Georgia. 

"It is the fourth day that overall, despite complications from time to time, we have a positive dynamic”, Prime Minister Kvirikashvili said this morning.

"Thanks to the works carried out up until now we have reached the moment when, through the roads paved by us, we can approach the burning areas. This means that this is the moment when there is a need for a more organized human force. Yesterday, I made the decision to engage the army”, he added.

Kvirikashvili said that the fire had been stopped from spreading and now the next phase was fire extinguishing activities. He believed that joint efforts from firefighters, soldiers and areal resources this phase would be a success.