High wildfire risk: Which regions of Kazakhstan are most vulnerable?

Tengrinews.kz - Which regions of Kazakhstan face the greatest risk of forest fires today? Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife of the Ministry of Ecology, Maksat Elemesov, answered this question.
According to the committee’s deputy head, Kazakhstan is currently experiencing a high — fifth-class — fire danger level. Air temperatures exceed 35 degrees Celsius, and there is no precipitation. For this reason, Maksat Elemesov stated that “the entire forest fund territory is at risk.”

“Coniferous forests are at the highest risk. Pine forests are especially prone to transitioning into crown fires. In deciduous forests in the North Kazakhstan region, birch stands can catch fire, but there the fires tend to be ground fires, which do not pose a major threat to the forest fund,” he explained at a briefing at the Central Communications Service.

In the event of a forest fire in pine or coniferous areas, there is a danger that it will develop into a crown fire, which can result in the loss of those forests.

“About seven regions are in the highest risk zone: East Kazakhstan, Abai, Pavlodar, Kostanay, Akmola, Almaty, and Karaganda regions. These are areas with pine forests and plantations,” Elemesov added.

A crown forest fire is one that spreads through the forest canopy (the tops of the trees), which is especially dangerous for coniferous trees.
A ground forest fire spreads along the lower layers of forest vegetation, litter, and fallen leaves.
Earlier in April, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Yerlan Nyssanbayev, called on citizens to stay alert as the country enters a high-risk wildfire season.
Read also: Kazakh citizens warned of extreme heat in the coming days