TBILISI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs on Wednesday said they have addressed several countries for help in order to extinguish a forest fire in southern Georgia as soon.
The ministry said in a statement that Ukraine had sent a firefighting aircraft under the Ukrainian State Emergency Service to put out the fire in Abastumani forest in southern Georgia, which is on its way from Ukraine to the Georgian city of Batumi.
The decision was made after Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili had a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko Tuesday night, according to the statement.
As reported, Turkey is also ready to assist Georgia with two helicopters and a firefighting aircraft.
Georgian Interior Minister Giorgi Mghebrishvili told local media that about 1,000 firefighters, rescuers and rangers are currently battling the blaze and more are ready to join them if needed.
Mghebrishvili said that a 4-km-long road was paved through the forest last night for equipment to damp down pockets of fire. He added Georgia has enough firefighting force but it still needs air support and the country has already asked for international help.
The fire in Abastumani erupted on Tuesday night and spread quickly, according to local reports.
A number of wildfires have occurred in the country this month. The largest fire was in Borjomi Gorge, a canyon in central Georgia, raging for seven days before being put out on Aug. 28.
Authorities said causes for frequent fires in Georgia in this month are under investigation.
