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State aviation ready to put out wildfires in Russia this year--RME

In the event of such emergencies, we now have available guaranteed additional manpower and resources

MOSCOW, March 29 (Itar-Tass) — State aviation is ready for operation to put out wildfires in Russia this year, Merited Pilot Rafail Zakirov, Director of the Federal state aviation enterprise of the Ministry for Emergencies told Itar-Tass here on Thursday in an interview.

Following large-scale wildfires in Russia in summer, a decision was taken in 2010 to provide the aviation of the Interior Ministry, the Defense Ministry and Border Service with special add-on devices to grapple with wildfire foci.

"Everything has been done to train the air crews of the Interior and Defense ministries and the Border Service and provide them with equipment to fight wildfires. In case of a serious complication of the situation, the aviation of those ministries and agencies will be used to put out fires. Their aircraft have been fitted out with water spouting devices," Zakirov said.

"In the event of such emergencies, we now have available guaranteed additional manpower and resources," he emphasized.

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