The rescuers continue winding up the wildfires, a press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported.
“As of 7 a.m. of July 11, 2020 there is no open fire, smoldering of individual cells of forest litter and timber is observed,” reads a statement on the official website of the State Emergency Service on July 11.
In total, 720 people and 198 units of equipment were involved in the elimination of the fire, of which 535 personnel from the State Emergency Service and 106 units of fire-rescue and other special equipment were involved. At the scene of the fire, an operational headquarters was set up, a life support center were deployed, and the emergency operations team is working.
As reported, a wildfire started near the villages of Oskolonivka and Kapitanove, Novoaidarsky district, Luhansk region, at 11.42 a.m. on July 6.
New fire spots appeared due to strong wind (up to 25 meters per second) and high air temperature (+38° Сelsius) and spread from the forest to houses in Smolianynove and the Vovche Ozero garden cooperative. The fire affected an area of 5,000 hectares.
The wildfire destroyed 24 and damaged 35 houses. Forty-three people received assistance. Seven people were hospitalized in Severodonetsk and seven – in Novoaidar. Five people died as a result of the wildfire.
The police are considering three possible causes for the wildfires: influence of abnormally high air temperature and weather conditions, mishandling of fire or an attempted arson from hooligan or other motives.
A criminal case was opened under Part 2 of Article 270 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
