Well ahead of snow meltdown which marks the start of forest fires, preparations for 2012 forest fire season are launched in the Altaiskiy Reserve.
In accordance with the current RF legislation, the Altaiskiy Reserve holds a set of approved documents, namely, the Forest Development Project, the Forest Management Regulation and the Firefighting Plan for 2012 forest fire season. All necessary documentation for obtaining the Firefighting License is submitted to the Forestry Department of the Siberian Federal District. As of today, four employees of the Altaiskiy Reserve undertook training courses and were granted certificates “Chief firefighter to combat large-scale forest fires”.
A working conference, summarizing the 2011 forest fire season results, was held. Pursuant to decree №10 of 29 February 2012, four firefighting squads totaling 45 state inspectors are established.
The training of firefighting squad chiefs in technique and tactics of combating forest and steppe fires was held by the chief forest officer S.V. Varganov. Squad chiefs, in their turn, organized training within their squads, carried out maintenance checks of firefighting equipment and organized planned/target firefighter safety trainings. Early April will witness trainings in feedback and cooperation with all corresponding services.
The Altaiskiy Reserve signed agreements with ROSCOSMOS (Russian Federal Space Agency) stipulating forest fire monitoring and measures for liquidating fire hazards. The Reserve also holds cooperation agreements with the Altai Republic’s Department of EMERCOM of Russia and Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Altai Republic, while agreements with the Altai Republic’s Autonomous Establishment “AVIALESOKHRANA” (the Aerial Forest Protection Service) and Forestry Ministry of the Altai Republic are still coming.
Starting from April, satellite forest fire monitoring will be carried out on a daily basis, applying the data of a remote monitoring information system of the Federal Forestry Agency (ISDM-Rosleskhoz) and website of RF Ministry of Natural Resources. Work with the local population, inhabiting the territory of the Altaiskiy Reserve and its adjacent territories, targeted at raising the awareness of the issue has been started.
Currently the Reserve is well provided with firefighting equipment: blast machines, motor pumps, petrol-driven power saws, backpack sprayers, radio receivers (Radio Antenna Units) and satellite phones. Petroleum stocks are being replenished and renewed.