Fire Broke out on the Territory of Vashlovani PA Traditional Use Zone

According to the reports of Vashlovani Protected Areas Administration, on February 21, 2014, fire broke out on the territory of traditional use zone of Vashlovani National Park, in the Natlistskali Valley, as a result of which about 700 hectares of grass cover of the grazing land has bed destroyed. Staff from the Vashlovani PA Administration, as well as fire rescue service was mobilized on spot and it took about 8 hours to extinguish the fire. Importantly, the arid sparse forest of the Vashlovani Park escaped the damage with no loss to the Protected Areas in particular.

The fire was caused as a result of the negligence of the local shepherd Nodar Jikhoshvili. This type of disregard is an increasing tendency which can be observed in the recent years and must not be left without applying proper measures towards eliminating the problem. Therefore, administrative violation report has been made regarding the case and has been forwarded for further investigation to Dedoplistskaro District Court.   

According to the Administrative violation code 76, paragraph 2, damaging or destroying forests as a result of fire or any other type of negligence, as well as violating the fire safety measures leading to forest fires, will result in an administrative fine from 100 to 200 Gel.