Air assets involved to combat forest fires in eastern Kvareli municipality

Georgian border police helicopters have been involved in combating forest fires in the eastern Kvareli municipality, which erupted near the village of Shilda on Friday, the Georgian Emergency Management Service said on Saturday. 

The agency noted that along with combating the fire sources, the firefighters and other professionals at the scene have been paving the way to the locations difficult to reach to put out the blaze. 

• Georgia’s Emergency Service calls for “high caution” to prevent fires amid heat

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday instructed the country’s Defence Forces to join the professionals combating the forest fires in Kvareli, aimed at preventing further spread of the blaze and a possible natural disaster, the Government Administration stated. 

Media reports said deciduous trees were burning in the municipality near the locality’s alpine zone.

Rains are forecasted in the country starting Sunday, after hot and dry weather for more than a month across the country.