Russian Aerial Forest Protection Service Anniversary
July 7 · Level 10 · #183 of 2238
This anniversary honours Russia's aerial forest protection workers, who spot wildfires and help tackle them far from roads and settlements. Pilots, aerial observers and firefighters combine their skills to protect forests that can be difficult to reach by any other route.
How it is celebrated: staff and veterans receive congratulations and awards, and the service shares stories from its history. Public outreach also explains how forest fires start and how visitors can help prevent them.
Aircraft do more than drop water. Some forest firefighters parachute to remote areas or descend from helicopters, then fight the fire on the ground.