Lithuania declares state of emergency in Neringa due to spreading Curonian Spit fire
Curonian spit is on fire.
A state of emergency has been declared in the Lithuanian western Neringa Municipality on the Curonian Spit due to aspreading fire on the peninsula.
Having arrived at the scene, Minister of the Interior Dailis Alfonsas Barakauskas told BNS on Friday the fire has engulfed 38 ha.
12 firefighter’s vehicles are involved in the fire-extinguishing operation, assisted by a Mi-8 helicopter of the Armed Forces. According to the minister, Latvia has been asked to send one more helicopter.
Due to the fire, power supply has been shut down on the whole peninsula.
A huge fire broke out on the Curonian Spit in May, 2006. It was put down only after five days and the fire destroyed over 200 hectares of forest.
