As a result of the fire in Yerevan’s Botanical Garden, its non-collection section has burnt down, Zhirayr Vardanyan, Director of the Botany Institute of Armenia’s National Academy of Sciences told Armenian News – NEWS.am.

According to him, the entire territory of the garden is 80 ha; around 15 ha, mainly dried grass, has burnt down. “Fires blaze up here every month, but this was a major fire, since the wind increased, and it was impossible to put it out rapidly,” Vardanyan said. Responding to the question on whether this could be a case of arson, he said: “It might be, since the fire flared up simultaneously from several sides. Besides, it might have been caused by a stub of a cigar.”  

Major fire blazed up in the territory of Yerevan’s Botanical Garden on July 25.