17 July 2002
Huge forest fire raging in Brest region

 Fire fighters have not so far managed to extinguish a large forest fire raging within the Polessky military area in the Stolin district, Brest region. The blaze that has spread across 20 hectares of marsh
forest was localized last Sunday, but it is currently impossible to put out completely, as the area is impenetrable to heavy vehicles.
Konstantin Shershunovich, head of the regional emergency relief department, has taken a helicopter to the site to personally assess the situation and help the army deal with the disaster.
This last weekend, emergency relief teams, troops and foresters were working to extinguish around 800 hectares of peat marshes, dried grass and undergrown forest in the Bukchantskoye forestry, Lelchitsy district, Gomel region. Over the last two days, Belarusian fire fighters have put
out 59 fires on peat marshes totaling 47 hectares and 19 forest fires covering 61 hectares.