YEREVAN. – Fires in Armenia’s grassy areas have increased three times this year, as compared to August last year.

Deputy Director of the Rescue Service of Armenia, Vrezh Gabrielyan, stated the aforesaid at a press conference on Friday.

Gabrielyan noted that the heat wave that has penetrated into Armenia has created a major fire danger in the country for the second month.

“The grassy areas are beginning to dry and burn under the heat wave,” said the Rescue Service official. “Now, the entire drying process has moved to the mountainous areas.”

Vrezh Gabrielyan also informed that, as a result of global warming, 155 forest fires were recorded in Armenia from 1998 to 2009, but this has risen to 224—between 2010 and 2015.

“If we fail to preserve our forest areas, we will face a problem of desertification,” he added. “No matter how much we talk about heat waves, we need to be able to deal appropriately with green spaces.”