ULAN BATOR, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- A total of 188 forest and steppe fires have been reported across Mongolia since the beginning of this year, burning at least 1,907,944 hectares of land, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said Friday.
Most of the fires were steppe fires, with the majority occurring in the eastern provinces of Dornod, Sukhbaatar and Khentii. Human negligence was identified as the primary cause of the fires, the NEMA said.
The most destructive of the wildfires was a steppe fire that broke out on Oct. 8 in the core zone of the Numrug Strictly Protected Area in Khalkh Gol soum, Dornod province. The fire was fully extinguished on Oct. 16. Initial investigations indicate that the fire may have been sparked by a convoy operated by Mobicom, a Mongolian telecommunications company with Japanese investment.
The Numrug Strictly Protected Area is one of eastern Mongolia's best-preserved natural ecosystems and provides habitat for a wide range of wildlife, including rare and endangered species. According to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the fire scorched approximately 530,000 hectares of land, including around 470,000 hectares within the protected area -- equivalent to 79.8 percent of the reserve's total area.
Currently, Mongolian firefighters are working to extinguish five steppe fires across the three eastern provinces, the emergency agency said.
Mongolia has a harsh continental climate, with dry and windy conditions typically prevailing in spring and autumn, increasing the risk of wildfires. ■