U.S. Response to Forest Fires in Russia

The State Department has issued this press release (8-13-10):

13 August 2010

U.S. Response to Forest Fires in Russia
U.S. to provide technical equipment, humanitarian relief to Russia

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
August 13, 2010

Fact Sheet

U.S. Response to Fires in Russia

The U.S. Government has worked with the Government of Russia (GoR) to outline a comprehensive U.S. response to the severe, ongoing forest fires in the Russian Federation. The U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development and U.S. Department of Defense are working to provide the following technical equipment and humanitarian relief:

U.S. Government Response:

• The U.S. is shipping technical equipment valued at $2.5 million to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Russian Federal Forestry Agency Airborne Forest Protection Service including personal protective equipment, fire-protective clothing, large water storage tanks, hand tools for firefighters, and other general purpose fire-fighting tools. Total overall U.S. support for this effort is estimated to be valued at $4.5 million.

• Two C-130 aircraft from U.S. EUCOM and a charter flight from California are scheduled to arrive in Moscow after 6:00 p.m. local time on Friday, August 13.

• Two additional C-130 flights are scheduled to arrive tomorrow, August 14.

• A second charter aircraft is expected to arrive in Moscow on or before Tuesday, August 17.

• On August 12th, the U.S. Government and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) signed a grant for $50,000 to support the relief operations of the Russian Red Cross in Russia. Relief items include blankets, bedding, and food parcels for approximately 1600 victims.

State of California Response:

• The State of California is coordinating with USAID/OFDA to deliver fire resistant clothing, which was identified as a key need by the Federal Forestry Agency Aerial Fire Service.

Public Donation Information:

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow is posting regular updates on the fires and has a link to a live webcam so the public can see the atmospheric conditions first hand. USAID/OFDA has also activated the Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) to coordinate donations from individuals and organizations. For more information, visit www.cidi.org or call (703) 276-1914

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov/)