MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. Falling drone debris caused a wildfire in Russia’s southern city of Gelendzhik, which initially engulfed 200 square meters, the Krasnodar Region’s crisis center said.

The blaze left 23 people trapped on the Black Sea coast near Gelendzhik, and a boat was sent to evacuate them.

TASS has gathered the key information about the incident.

Latest updates

- The fire has now expanded to cover an area of 3.2 hectares.

- Firefighting efforts involve over 40 personnel and 11 pieces of equipment.

- The airmobile team of the Russian Emergencies Ministry in the Krasnodar Region, which consists of 40 personnel and five pieces of equipment, has been put on high alert, the ministry said.

- An Mi-8 helicopter of the Russian Emergencies Ministry has joined the work to extinguish the forest fire near Gelendzhik.

- According to Gelendzhik Mayor Alexey Bogodistov, efforts to put out the blaze involve about 100 people and over 20 pieces of equipment.

Evacuation of tourists

- Twenty-three tourists vacationing on the Black Sea coast in the forest fire area were trapped, the Emergencies Ministry said.

- The ministry’s State Inspection Department for Small Vessels sent a boat to evacuate them to a safe place.

- A holiday camp located near the forest scorched by the fire is being evacuated, Bogodistov said.

- A temporary accommodation center has been set up at a local school.

Forest fire

- The fire broke out in a forest near the settlement of Krinitsa in Gelendzhik, the regional crisis center reported.

- Three seats of fire were detected, engulfing a total of 200 square meters.

- According to the report, firefighting activities involve 14 personnel and four pieces of equipment.

- The fire expanded to about 0.7 hectares by 6:45 a.m. Moscow time (3:45 a.m. GMT). A set of measures is being taken to contain the wildfire, particularly through the deployment of additional forces and means.

- There were no casualties; emergency services are working at the site.