Peatbogs burn outside Lithuanian capital

Peatbogs are burning near the Lithuanian capital. Fires are blazing in the Ignalina area /the country's national park/ and started on the Kursha spit. But efforts by foresters and firemen have quickly put out blazes on the spit.

In specialist opinion, the cause of the blazes is an unusually warm and dry weather for this season in Lithuania, with the temperature often exceeding 30 degrees C.

Early in August a dump of old caught fire on the edge of the Trakai national park, a favourite holiday spot for Lithuanians and foreign tourists. Experts said that it was the largest and most pernicious fire in the country since the beginning of the year.