750 hectares of steppes burnt in Almaty oblast

Steppes caught fire in Sarkand region of Almaty oblast, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Kazakhstan Ministry of Emergency Situations. The area on fire made 750 hectares, including 400 hectares of Ekiasha village area and 350 hectares of Sarkand town area. The fire started in the morning of September 20 and was quenched by 07:00 p.m. the same day. No casualties were reported. The fire-quenching operation involved 15 people and 2 vehicles of the fire-fighting service of Almaty oblast Emergency Situations Department, as well as 400 people and 21 vehicles of the villages and 1 helicopter of KazAviaLesoOkhrana. Local citizens also helped fight the fire in the mountains next to Ekiasha village. The administrations provided tractors for fire line plowing.