Commercial or criminal interests cause of forest fires

We must fight forest fires comprehensively, with the participation of the state structures and departments concerned. Emergencies minister Sergei Shoigu told this TO RIA Novosti on Thursday after a conference which discussed the situation concerning forest fires in Siberia and the Far East.

Law-enforcement agencies must step up their work, because the cause of forest fires in many cases is commercial or criminal interests, he stressed. "In other words, the competing timber procuring firms set the taiga on fire".

The situation concerning forest fires in Siberia and the Far East is gradually returning to normalcy. Additional forces have been detailed to help those who are fighting forest fires - two rescue centers and Siberian and Far-Eastern aviation. The requisite resources for the technology and people mobilized to fight fire have been detached from the emergencies ministry's reserve.