Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Yerlan Nyssanbayev, has called on citizens to stay alert as the country enters a high-risk wildfire season.
Speaking at a briefing, the minister warned that this year’s fire risks have increased significantly due to tall, dry grass left over from last year’s unusually wet conditions.
“Last year was very wet, and as many have noticed, the steppe and forests now have unusually high grass. This will cause problems with wildfires this year — dry grass will burn. We can’t do this without your help. I ask everyone to be vigilant, especially with steppe fires,” Nyssanbayev said.
He stressed the importance of reporting any signs of fire immediately to emergency services.
The minister also highlighted the dangers of agricultural burning and forest visits in areas such as East Kazakhstan, Semey, and Pavlodar.
“You go out into nature, into the forests — please be extremely careful with open flames. Many fires are caused by human activity. Of course, around 70 percent of fires are triggered by natural phenomena like dry lightning strikes, but the human factor remains significant. Please stay alert,” Nyssanbayev concluded.
Earlier, Yerlan Nyssanbayev urged regional akimats to take all necessary measures to maintain fire safety in forests, as Kazakhstan expects an abnormally hot summer.