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IN BRIEF: What is known about fire near Novorossiysk in southern Russia

The fire has engulfed 62 hectares near the Dyurso farming community, leaving two people injured

© Petr Kovalev/TASS

MOSCOW, July 15. /TASS/. Dozens of buildings at the Romantic and Blue Wave vacation resorts near the city Novorossiysk in Russia’s southern Krasnodar Region have been damaged by a fire, a spokesperson for the Russian Emergencies Ministry told TASS.

The fire has engulfed 62 hectares near the Dyurso farming community, leaving two people injured.

TASS has gathered the main information about the fire incident.

Spread of fire

- The fire broke out in the Dyurso farming community area around midday on July 14.

- According to the latest data, the fire has engulfed 62 hectares.

- The fire spread to several vacation resorts.

- According to the Russian Emergencies Ministry, 176 people, including 48 children, have been evacuated.

- The fire has damaged 60 buildings at the Romantic holiday resort in the Dyurso farming community outside Novorossiysk, while another eight buildings and five cars suffered damage at the Blue Wave vacation resort.

- The evacuated vacationers have been accommodated at a five-star hotel and provided with basic necessities. They are now returning home, an emergency official told TASS.

- The fire has damaged tens of hectares of relict forests in the Abrau natural reserve near Novorossiysk, Sergey Altukhov, Russian lower house member representing the Krasnodar region and deputy chairman of the chamber’s Committee on Economic Policy, told TASS.

Casualties

- Two injured people sought medical assistance at Novorossiysk’s City Hospital No. 1 but refused hospitalization. A security guard suffered burns at one of the resorts.

Firefighting efforts

- The Russian Emergencies Ministry’s aircraft and helicopters are taking part in extinguishing the fire.

- An Il-76 plane, a Ka-32 helicopter and an Mi-8 helicopter equipped with helibuckets are involved in firefighting efforts.

- Another Il-76 aircraft of the Russian Emergencies Ministry has also been sent to help put out the blaze.

- According to a crisis center, over 250 personnel are working to extinguish the fire. A 50-member airmobile group of the regional branch of the Emergencies Ministry, which has seven pieces of equipment, is on its way to the scene of the fire.

- Rescuers have been able to prevent the forest fire from spreading further, the Krasnodar Region’s Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergencies said on Telegram.

- According to Altukhov, the fire threat is increased due to strong winds.

Response from government, law enforcement agencies

- A state of emergency has been declared in Novorossiysk, the city’s head Andrey Kravchenko said.

- The Interior Ministry has opened an investigation under Article 261 of the Russian Criminal Code ("Destruction of or Damage to Forests").

- Police are questioning those who witnessed the breakout of the wildfire, and tests are expected to be carried out to figure out its causes.

- National Guard members have been deployed to maintain order in the Dyurso farming community.

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