During the week, fires engulfed more than 800 hectares of forest in the occupied territory of the Kherson region, as announced by the head of the State Agency of Forest Resources of Ukraine, Iurii Bolokhovets.
According to him, the occupiers did not allow the forest guards to approach the fire sites until the fire reached their checkpoints.
"According to the latest data, the fire was localised, but there has been no contact with our colleagues for the last two days," Bolokhovets said.
He said that the total number of fires increased by 2.6 times compared to the same period in 2021. The average area of fires increased 16 times.
"I remind that now there is a ban on visiting forests almost all over the country. Please refrain from walking in forests, especially in regions recently liberated from the occupiers. It could cost you your life," said the head of the State Forestry Agency.
The State Forest Agency previously reported that since the beginning of 2022, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine eliminated 86 fires on 438 hectares. It is 11 times more in terms of the number of accidents and 78 times more in the area impacted as for the same period in 2021.