Natural fires in the Sverdlovsk region have been blazing for several weeks. With the gunpowder that started to explode on May 6, the fire also spread to the warehouses.
“Information was received about explosions in gunpowder warehouses in the Rzhev city district,” emergency services told RIA Novosti.
The Ministry of Emergencies later confirmed that the likely cause of the explosions was the fire’s transport from a forest fire to nearby warehouses.
No injuries resulted from the incident. “We are building forces and tools to further prevent the fire from spreading,” rescuers said.
The total area of fires in the Sverdlovsk region reached 20 thousand hectares. The head of the district, Yevgeny Kuyvashev, sought federal assistance. The situation is considered critical.
“There is a critical situation regarding fires in the region. It is exacerbated by the weather. (…) Unfortunately, our saviors are no longer able to cope with all the epidemics alone, they are too many, ”said he.
From tomorrow morning, Ministry of Emergencies aircraft, Ministry of Defense helicopters, Russian Guard and Avialesookhrana will respond to the fire.
in Kuyvasev warned Residents of Sverdlovsk were sentenced to liability and millions of fines for violation of fire safety requirements. “The first day of the May holiday has passed and the whole region is already in flames. 20 thousand hectares! Territory disaster! People have nothing to breathe, they are losing their homes. And they make kebabs. Governor, we will take money from every violator.”
evacuation
The head of the Rezhevsky urban district, Ivan Kartashov, announced the start of the evacuation of the inhabitants of the village of Pervomaisky.
“Temporary shelter centers accept people. The removal of the people by bus and personal transport was organized,” he said.
Evacuation was also carried out from the village of Mostovoye, from the villages of Verkhoturka, Pervomayskaya and Olkhovka near Verkhnyaya Pyshma, from garden associations near Asbest, Degtyarsk, Revda, Berezovsky and Artemovsky.
The head of the Berezovsky urban district, Yevgeny Pistsov, said that the evacuation was also announced in the villages of Ostrovnoye and Zeleny Dol. A strong wind in this area contributes to the spread of fire, the area of u200bu200bthe fire grows. A number of volunteers who can take part in the firefighting have been announced.
“We need the help of volunteers to localize wildfires. The situation is developing unfavorably: the number of epidemics is increasing, a strong wind contributes to the spread of fire. “It is important to prevent a threat to settlements and stop fires at long distances,” Pistsov said. “in contact”.
Residents of Rezh on social networks report that part of the road to the village is already covered with smoke. Before the evacuation was announced, residents began to leave their homes. The fires are located in different places, so the authorities do not rule out the possibility of arson.
blocked roads
Traffic on the 24th to 46th kilometers of the Verkhnyaya Pyshma-Nevyansk highway was completely blocked due to heavy smoke. Entrances and exits to Mostovskoye and Olkhovka were also blocked.
In addition, traffic restrictions were imposed from the 128th to the 134th kilometer of the Nevyansk-Rezh-Artemovsky-Kilachevskoye highway.
Weather
There is a state of emergency in the Sverdlovsk region. Firefighters believe that careless handling of fires is the cause of the fires. The situation is exacerbated by hot weather and strong winds. On Sunday, May 7, wind speed in the Sverdlovsk region will reach 20 meters per second.
Now more than a thousand experts are putting out the fires. The previous day, 16 fires in an area of approximately 550 hectares were extinguished.