1,200 professionals, 4 helicopters committed to put out Borjomi fire - Interior Ministry

More than 1,200 professionals from different state bodies, around 120 units of equipment and four border police helicopters are providing “maximum efforts” to put out the forest fire in Georgia’s central-western Borjomi municipality, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday. 

• Georgian Interior Minister inspects measures against Borjomi forest fire

The Ministry said the blaze, which erupted last Friday, was “still difficult to reach” in several locations, adding roadworks were ongoing to pave access to the locations for the firefighters, along with professionals from the ministries of Defence, Regional Development and Internal Affairs.

Video by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.

Visiting the municipality on Monday, Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri said that in case of absence of wind, fire sources would be limited by Tuesday.

To prevent the spread of the fire, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday instructed the country’s Defence Forces, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, and the Ministry of Environment to get involved in combating the fire. 

• Georgian National Environmental Agency warns hot, mostly rainless weather to remain until Sunday

The blaze erupted near the villages of Kvabiskhevi and Zoreti in Borjomi municipality, before spreading further due to strong winds.