2008 Borjomi wildfire

Wildfire in Georgia thumb|Consequences of the 2008 Borjomi wildfire still visible in August 2014. The 2008 Borjomi wildfires started in the Borjomi Gorge, Georgia on August 15, 2008 and lasted for several days to come, destroying 250 ha of the 75000 haA Magnicifent Part of the Caucasus https://web.archive.org/web/20070927071926/http://www.borjomi-kharagauli-np.ge/ 2007-09-27 . Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, one of the largest national parks in Europe.Fires Threaten Georgia's Natural Resources. Conservation International The fire started in the concluding days of the hostilities during the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, some 80 km far from the conflict area.Fires Threaten Georgia's Natural Resources Conservation International Eyewitnesses reported camouflage-painted helicopters in the sky just before the fire erupted. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/15/AR2008091502831.html The Washington Post Tara Bahrampour Georgians Blame Russia for Fires in Beloved Preserve 16 September 2008 Georgia accused Russia of bombing the area and deliberating starting a fire using incendiary devices, describing it as an ecocide. Russia's Defence Ministry denied bombing the forests and said that they would help the Georgians extinguish the fires if requested. Despite Turkish and Ukrainian aid, the firefighting efforts were complicated by the ongoing conflict and airspace restrictions. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7567279.stm BBC News Russia blamed for forest fires 18 August 2008 https://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=89326 Reuters Georgian forest burns: Russia blamed (1:08)https://archive.today/20120604233854/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/10/2360291.htm Burnt Georgian forest shows costs of Russia war. ABC Newshttp://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24197947-23109,00.html Russia blamed for forest fires October 2026 medicmedic http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4621592.ece https://web.archive.org/web/20080827212200/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4621592.ece dead August 27, 2008 London The Times James Hider Russianbacked paramilitaries ethnically cleansing villages 28 August 2008 According to the government of Georgia, "the fire spread to over 950 hectares of forest land. An area of 250 hectares was totally destroyed, and 150 000 m³ of standing trees were lost. As a result, the forest's ecosystem lost its ecological function, as well as commercial value. In the affected area, endemic and other species were almost completely destroyed, including Himalayan yew, spruce, abies, pine, beech, oak, hornbeam and many varieties of forest wildlife.... The fauna of the region experienced significant damage as well."Environment destruction caused by the war. Government of Georgia. November 10, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20110721025951/http://georgiaupdate.gov.ge/doc/10006878/Microsoft%20Word%20-%208%20Environmental%20Desctruction_111008.pdf July 21, 2011 The Borjomi wildfire alarmed international environmental organizations. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) called on "all parties capable of helping put out forest fires in central Georgia to work together to extinguish them."Caucasus countries need to cooperate on Georgia forest fires. WWF. The PAN Parks network, of which the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is a member, sent a latter to the Russian Minister of Natural Resources, expressing its concerns that the "recent bombing in Borjomi district resulted in a forest fire, which threatens Borjomi Kharagauli National Park."Letter to Russian Minister of Natural Resources, 19 August 2008. PAN Parks June 2016 medicmedic The World Bank expressed its "grave concern the reports of forest fires in the Borjomi area of Georgia" and sent an assessment team in the area.World Bank Statement on Georgia. World Bank. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe-UNEP mission will also assess the damage caused by fire, including in the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park and adjacent forested areas.OSCE Highlights, October 1 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20110727154331/http://highlights.osce.org/index.php?id=1305 2011-07-27 . Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. References 2 External links Satellite images by UNOSAT Category:Fires in Georgia (country) Category:Natural disasters in Georgia (country) 2008 Borjomi wildfire Category:2008 in Georgia (country) Category:2008 wildfires Category:August 2008 in Asia Category:2008 disasters in Georgia (country) Category:2008 fires in Asia Category:Wildfires in Europe