Explosions of WW II ammunition impede fire-fighting in forests of Rostov Region

Several units of World War II ammunition have exploded in the forest of the Obliv District of the Rostov Region, where trees were still on fire from yesterday. This was reported by the representative of the regional department for prevention and elimination of emergencies. The area of the fire has already reached one thousand hectares.

The message about the fire in the Obliv Forestry was received by the emergency on duty service at about 4:00 p.m. Moscow time on July 26. At that time the area of the crown fire was 10 hectares. By the evening, the fire spread over the area of 125 hectares. By the morning of July 27, the area of the forest fire has almost doubled and made 240 hectares. Aircrafts were engaged in fire-fighting.

At present, the area of the fire makes one thousand hectares; 800 hectares have already burned down, while 200 hectares are still burning. The state of emergency was announced in the territory of the district.

According to the spokesman of the local rescue service, the fire-fighting is hampered by the fact that several explosions of ammunition of the time of the Great Patriotic War (WW II) occurred in the territory of the forest. He added that there were combat actions during the war in the territory of the district; and the forest can contain ammunition hideouts.

493 persons and 105 units of special machinery and equipment, including a special Il-76 aircraft, which has already made four water discharges of 42 tons each, are trying to extinguish the fire, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

According to preliminary information, nobody was injured in the fire and explosions; there is also no threat to the local dwelling settlements, the "Don-TR" reports.