All natural fires in the Karkaraly, Aktogay, Bukhar-Zhyrau and Shet districts of the Karaganda region have been fully extinguished. The flames did not reach populated areas, farms, or forests, according to infohub.kz.
The fires started on August 15, when dry grass ignited on hilly terrain near the villages of Suyksu and Kyzyltu in the Bukhar-Zhyrau district. The next day, steppe fires spread across four districts of the region. By August 17, the Emergency Situations Ministry reported that nine wildfires covering more than 1,300 hectares had been put out in a single day, with 620 people and 134 pieces of equipment involved. On some days, the number of personnel reached 800 and equipment 160 units.
On August 19, a wildfire covering 650 hectares was contained in the region, halting its spread and eliminating the threat to forests.
The four affected districts are home to about 4,000 farms, and the spread of fires to them was prevented. A Kazaviaspas helicopter equipped with a water-dropping device was also used, making several water drops on hard-to-reach areas.