Alatau, 24 October. Reeds caught fire on 24 October on the shore of the Kapshagai reservoir near the city of Alatau in Almaty region; reconnaissance found five seats of fire, and firefighting was hampered by wind, lack of roads and nightfall, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported.
To assess the situation and deploy forces, the head of the regional emergencies department reached the fire by motorboat across the reservoir. After reconnaissance he set the priority directions for firefighting and the deployment of forces. Firefighters were hindered by difficult terrain, poor access for vehicles, wind and the onset of darkness. The ministry did not report any casualties or the area of the fire; at the time of publication firefighting was continuing.
The fire broke out at a time when forecasters were warning of strong winds in the region. For 25 October, Kazhydromet forecasts gusts of 17–22 m/s in the east, centre and mountain areas of Almaty region and up to 18 m/s in nearby Konayev. An extreme fire hazard persists in several western and central regions.
What it means: An autumn reed fire near Kapshagai coincided with windy weather, and the fire split into several seats that vehicles find hard to reach.
Who benefits: No one: such fires threaten shoreline buildings and recreation areas and tie up emergency services over the holiday. The ministry did not name the cause of the fire.
Background: The Kapshagai reservoir on the Ili river is the largest artificial body of water in south-eastern Kazakhstan and a popular recreation spot for Almaty residents. Alatau is a new city being built on its shore; the reed beds along the bank dry out in autumn and catch fire easily.
