Forest fires raging at seven locations in Georgia

Forest fires are raging at seven locations around the country, the Georgian Emergency Management Service reports, calling upon hunters, locals gathering pine cones and fruits and backpackers to be “maximally cautious.”

 The agency says that as of now their personnel are fighting fires in Mestia, Svaneti region, Oni municipality in Racha, Ambrolauri municipality in Racha, Khulo municipality in Adjara and Martvili municipality in Samegrelo region.

• Forest fires rage in Svaneti and in Russian-occupied Abkhazia

The lower layer of forests is dry due to the dry weather in the autumn which carries high risks of spreading fires easily. That is we why we urge those entering forests be as careful as possible to not cause fires,” the agency said.

The agency said that 44 cases of fires have been reported around the country this month alone, with 1,500 firefighters involved in putting them out.