Number of neutralised fire sources exceeds active ones in Borjomi municipality - Interior Ministry

The number of neutralised sources of fire in Georgia’s central-western Borjomi Municipality exceeds those still active on the eighth day after the eruption of the blaze, the Georgian Interior Ministry said on Friday. 

• Georgia’s Defence Ministry sends reservists to combat Borjomi forest fire

The Ministry said that over 1,300 professionals from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Environment and the Defence Forces, were working “round the clock” to localise and then put out the remaining sources of the blaze. 

The Georgian Interior Ministry personnel combating the fire. Photos: Interior Ministry press office. 

In further comments, the state body said in a move marking international assistance to Georgia, three specialised Turkish firefighting aircraft were still present at the scene, with four helicopters of the Georgian border police also involved.

• Georgian firefighter gives squirrel found in Borjomi forest fire sip of water

The Georgian Ministry of Defence on Thursday sent additional 100 servicemembers to the  central-western Borjomi municipality to combat the blaze. Photos: Defence Ministry press office. 

Speaking about obstacles to firefighting efforts, the Ministry said strong winds and high temperatures had hampered the activities, and noted the Government had “taken steps” to prevent the spread of the blaze to populated areas or “strategically important facilities”. 

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