Large-scale fire in the Yalta Nature Reserve: routes for tourists are blocked

The routes on Mount Ai-Petri, located in Crimea, were closed due to a fire in the open territory of the nature reserve near Yalta.

Director of the Yalta Mountain and Forest Nature Reserve Volodymyr Kapitonov told UKRINFORM.

The area of the fire is two hectares.

Currently, the situation in the reserve is difficult - the fire destroyed the relict forest on the territory of Gurzuf forestry, including 0.5 hectares - by a horse fire. The fire is approaching the plateau of Mount Ai-Petri. Strong winds are making it difficult to extinguish the fire, with gusts exceeding 20 meters per second.

"The fire in the Yalta Nature Reserve started about three hours ago. It started suddenly, in several places at once. The first outbreaks were noted on steep, inaccessible mountain slopes. I have every reason to assume that it was a deliberate arson," said Vladimir Kapitonov.

The director of the Yalta Nature Reserve also said that all emergency services, foresters, and servicemen of the internal troops are involved in extinguishing the fire, and 18 units of equipment are involved. In addition, applications have been submitted for additional forces and equipment. According to Vladimir Kapitonov, helicopters and airplanes will be needed to extinguish the fire.

The war in the south of Ukraine has not only caused human losses but also catastrophic environmental consequences for the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve. The removal of animals, fires, and pollution of steppe ecosystems were the result of uncontrolled management by the occupation authorities.

In the Kherson region, two people were killed and 17 others were injured as a result of Russian shelling. A high-rise building, eight private houses, a bus and a car were damaged.

Олександра Горст