Steppe Fires Contained in Pavlodar, Karagandy Regions
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s firefighters have localized steppe fires in the Karagandy and Pavlodar Regions on Oct. 8.
Evacuated citizens returned to their homes after almost three days.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, a steppe fire broke out in the Karagandy Region on Oct. 6, subsequently spreading to the territory of the Pavlodar Region. The fire covered 3,000 hectares in the Karagandy Region and 10,000 hectares in the Bayanaul district of the Pavlodar Region.
Strong gusty winds, mountainous terrain, and a lack of access routes to the fire areas all made it difficult to extinguish the fire.
The steppe fire resulted in five injuries and one death. Civil defense sergeant Khali Khairat, 33, died in the line of duty.