ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 15. Kazakhstan will allocate over 26 billion tenge (approximately $49.4 million) for updating firefighting equipment in forestry enterprises, with a total of 68 billion tenge (approximately $128.4 million) designated for equipping forestry units from 2023 through 2027, announced Yerlan Nysanbaev, the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, during a government meeting, Trend reports.
According to Nysanbaev, since the start of the year, 136 small forestry firefighting units and 60 tractors, worth a pretty penny of 3.7 billion tenge (around $7 million), have already made their way to the ministry's institutions. By the end of June, 166 additional firefighting vehicles, 27 small forestry firefighting units, and 15 tractors, worth 11.3 billion tenge (approximately $21.4 million), are expected to arrive.
"Regional governments have allocated 6.3 billion tenge (approximately $12 million) from local budgets to equip forestry enterprises this year, along with 20 billion tenge (approximately $38 million) in leasing funds. By the end of the year, a total of 186 firefighting vehicles, 186 small forestry firefighting units, and 247 tractors will be purchased for forestry enterprises across regional administrations, totaling 26.3 billion tenge (approximately $49.9 million). These efforts will ensure the full renewal and equipping of forestry units in the 11 regions most prone to wildfires," said Nysanbaev.
Today, a government meeting is being held in Kazakhstan under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, focusing on preparations for the 2025 wildfire season and the current flood situation in the country.
