Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
URUMQI, June 25 (Xinhua) — The ongoing summer heat wave has increased the risk of forest and grassland fires in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which borders Kazakhstan, with fires most common in the border areas of the two countries, which are rich in wetlands, mountains and dense vegetation.
The Xinjiang General Forest Fire Brigade accredited in the above-mentioned county (hereinafter referred to as the “Ili Fire Brigade”) is responsible for internal fire safety along the 800-km border line. In order to prevent fires from breaking out, the fire brigade is currently actively practicing various firefighting scenarios. They are equipped with special-purpose equipment, including helicopters and armored tracked fire trucks.
Under the influence of various factors, forest and steppe fires on the borders of the two countries can pose a threat to both environmental safety and human safety. In recent years, the Ili fire brigade, consisting of 200 people, has taken part in fire and rescue operations in the border area three times.
The last fire on the border occurred late at night three years ago. More than 130 people and over 30 vehicles, as well as 800 units and sets of firefighting equipment and communication and command devices were sent to the scene. As a result of their coordinated actions, the large fire was extinguished within 4 days.
In early June this year, the Ili Fire Brigade and representatives of the firefighters of Kazakhstan took part in joint exercises near the Dulat checkpoint, which involved numerous forces. Six years ago, a secondary forest caught fire in the area adjacent to the same border crossing on the territory of Kazakhstan. As was established following a meeting between the border guards of the two countries, the fire was caused by grass burning and did not require the participation of the rescue forces of China to extinguish it. Thus, the fire brigade simply broke through a fire barrier 63 km long and about 50 m wide along the border line on the Chinese side, effectively preventing the indiscriminate spread of the fire.
“If a fire breaks out on the border between China and Kazakhstan, our side must take the initiative and actively participate in the rescue operation, and if necessary, at the request of the Kazakh side, a cross-border firefighting operation can be carried out” – this is the principle that prevails in the actions of the Ili Fire Brigade.
To combat forest and grassland fires in border areas, China has set up several teams ready to go to fight similar cross-border fires, said Cao Lihong, a research fellow at the Belt and Road Development Research Institute at Ili Normal University.
She stressed that China and Kazakhstan’s joint response to common natural disasters is a concrete embodiment of the good-neighborliness and friendship between the two countries. According to her, China and Kazakhstan are continuously exploring ways to resolve problems arising in cooperation in firefighting and rescue work, thereby deepening mutual trust and cooperation, which can provide wisdom and useful experience for other countries in dealing with similar border fires. -0-