Forests are not only a source of timber and wood products. They are of exceptionally great water protection, soil protection, field protection, sanitary and hygienic, aesthetic and, finally, strategic importance. Therefore, the issues of the forest and its protection have always been and remain the focus of government attention.
Forests in our republic occupy only 4% of the entire territory. If saxaul stands, which are essentially shrub thickets, are excluded from the forested area, then the forest cover will be only 1.6%. The sparse forestry of Kazakhstan, most of which is occupied by arid steppes, semi-deserts and deserts, indicates the need for the fastest increase in the area of forests through artificial reforestation and afforestation. In the coming years, it is planned to carry out such work in the republic's forestry enterprises on an area of more than 1 280 thousand hectares.
Enterprises have been set up in the country to protect forests from all kinds of diseases and unauthorized felling. However, the most acute issue is the preservation of forests from fires. One of these enterprises is the Kazavialesoohrana State Enterprise.
About enterprise
RGKP "Kazavialesoohrana" is the only and unique state-owned enterprise in the Republic of Kazakhstan, which has many years of experience in detecting and extinguishing forest and landscape fires in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The enterprise has a staff of highly qualified specialists in the field of detection and extinguishing of forest fires (observer pilots, workers of the air fire service). Flight personnel (observer pilots) have a higher forestry education, trained at a specialized training center of the Russian Federation (FBU Avialesokhrana, Pushkino) and have received the appropriate qualifications for detecting and extinguishing fires from the air.
The air fire service includes paratroopers-firefighters, instructors of air fire teams and groups. These specialists have completed course training on modern methods of extinguishing forest fires using mobile, technical fire extinguishing equipment. Extinguishing forest fires in tactics and fire extinguishing means is very different from extinguishing fires in residential and industrial facilities. When extinguishing forest fires, special fire extinguishing means are used, which are distinguished by their mobility and dimensions, which makes it possible to effectively fight forest fires in difficult forest conditions.
When extinguishing forest fires, special fire extinguishing means are used, which are distinguished by their mobility and dimensions, which makes it possible to effectively fight forest fires in difficult forest conditions.
"Kazavialesoohrana" in accordance with the charter of the enterprise performs numerous functions, such as: timely detection and operational extinguishing of forest fires, identification and prevention of violations of forest legislation; carrying out works on the protection and protection of forests and specially protected natural areas; conducting forest pathological supervision; flight operations for the needs of forestry, hunting and specially protected natural areas. As well as ensuring the preservation of the animal world, their habitat and biological diversity, sustainable use and reproduction of objects of the animal world, as well as the implementation of a set of measures to prevent and combat offenses in the field of protection, reproduction and use of the animal world.
Specialists also do not forget about mass propaganda, explanatory work among the population, organizing advertising and information activities in the field of protection, protection of forests and wildlife.
A brief history of the creation of aviation forestry in Kazakhstan
Aviation protection of forests in Kazakhstan was started in 1948 in the three most dangerous regions in terms of fire: East Kazakhstan, Pavlodar and Semipalatinsk. Due to the organization of the ground fire service (fire-chemical stations and other facilities), air patrolling in Pavlodar and Semipalatinsk regions was temporarily suspended in 1960.
In 1962, the cost of forest aviation security amounted to only 52 thousand rubles. Only two years later, air patrolling resumed on an area of 4.8 million hectares. In the early seventies, the protection of forests by aviation was carried out in the most valuable and fire hazardous coniferous forests already on an area of 5.2 million hectares by eleven aviation divisions using eight MI-1 helicopters, one MI-2 and two AN-2 aircraft.
All air divisions were subordinate to the West Siberian Air Base (Novosibirsk). The Kazakh air region of the West Siberian air base, created in 1972, did not fully meet the requirements and tasks that were already presented to this service at that time.
Due to the steadily growing attendance of the forests of Kazakhstan by the local population, vacationers and their insufficient environmental literacy, it was extremely difficult, and sometimes impossible, to reduce the number of forest fires and their areas with existing forces and means.
Therefore, in 1978 in the republic it was decided to organize an independent specialized service - the Kazakh base of aviation forest protection (Kazavialesokhrana). The high level of organization of the air fire service and the ability of its workers to fight the fire element in the most difficult conditions have been repeatedly demonstrated in Alma-Ata, Taldy-Kurgan and other regions during periods of massive outbreaks of forest fires.
At the end of the 80s (1989), 14 aviation security units (Alma-Ata, Ural, Taldy-Kurgan, Petropavlovskoe, Kokchetavskoe, Borovskoe, Tselinogradskoe, Karaganda, Pavlodarskoe, Semipalatinskoe, Leninogorskoe, Zyryanovskoe and Katon-Karagaiysk) guarded more 6.5 million hectares of forests. For air patrolling and extinguishing forest fires, Kazavialesokhrana rented 29 aircraft from the Civil Aviation units. Currently, there is no alternative organization (firm) offering the whole range of services that Kazavialesoohrana has in the republic. Continuing the operation of the Mi-2, Mi-8, Mi-171 helicopters available in the airlines. Kazavialesoohrana switches to the use of other types of foreign-made aircraft: Bell-206, MD-600, EC-120-B, BO-105.
Due to the economic crisis associated with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the financing of forestry operations decreased by 8 times. This led to a reduction in the total flight hours from 7-8 thousand to 300-2000 hours per year (from 1985 to 1992). From 2003 to the present time, the flights are stable: 6,200-9,000 hours per year. The high level of organization of the air fire service and the ability of its workers to fight the fire element in the most difficult conditions have been repeatedly demonstrated during periods of massive forest fires. Aviation protection of forests has become firmly established in forestry practice and occupies a leading place in the system of fire-prevention measures carried out in the forest regions of Kazakhstan.
Journal "Bulletin of the Ecologist"
