Forest fires in Borjomi

Currently, four border police helicopters, 300 firefighters, and the same number of police officers and soldiers are involved in extinguishing the fire. According to the Emergency Situations Management Service, the danger of the fire spreading to populated areas has been removed.

According to the mayor of Borjomi, Otar Arbolishvili, the high air temperature makes it difficult to extinguish the fire: "The soil in the forest is arid, and there is a rapid ignition; fire spreads quickly."

Hot and primarily rainless weather is expected in Georgia until August 28. According to the forecast of the National Environment Agency, the air temperature is expected to be between 35, 40 degrees in western Georgia and 31, 36 degrees in eastern Georgia.

According to the information of the residents of the village of Kvabishkevi, initially, there was a small centre of the fire. However, firefighters and rescuers arrived at the scene of the incident late, a few hours later, when the fire had already spread to a large area.

The Emergency Situations Management Service states that the firemen and rescuers went to the forest near the village of Kvabishkevi immediately after receiving the report about the smoke and started active fire extinguishing work: "The firemen and rescuers had to work with individual equipment. In addition, the situation was complicated by a strong wind. Considering the risk of spreading the fire, a decision was made to send additional teams from Tbilisi during the extinguishing process. In addition, firefighters installed water pumps on the Mtkvari river and opened water mains for about one kilometre, significantly aiding the process."

The cause of the fire is unknown. According to one version, it started with a lightning bolt, or it may have appeared from bonfire lit by hunters.

Forest fires are common in Georgia, but there is no information online on whether the police have brought anyone to criminal charges due to the investigation.

According to the statistical data of the National Forestry Agency, 617 cases of forest fire were registered from 2007-2021, which covered a total of 7,244 hectares of forest. The most cases of fire were recorded in 2020, and the largest area was burned in 2017 (1299.9 ha) and 2008 (1277.5 ha).

In 2008, in Samtskhe-Javakheti - Tsaghveri, near Borjomi and Charkhlistskal, a fire destroyed 950 hectares of forest between August 15 and September 8. The Russian side started the fire. In addition, there was a large-scale forest fire in Borjomi municipality on August 20-31, 2017. The fire broke out near the village of Daba. The fire spread over 943 hectares, of which 706 hectares was the area burned in 2008.

Among the dangers of forest fires in Georgia, the most important are the Samtskhe-Javakheti, Imereti, Kakheti, Shida Kartli and Adjara regions. Forests are divided into five classes according to the danger of fire. The highest fire hazard (first) class includes pine groves, young coniferous groves, coniferous shrubs and crops. In the 2nd class are groves of oak, hornbeam, chestnut, acacia, brushwood, and deciduous shrubs. It is forbidden to light a fire on the territory of the State Forest Fund.