Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation
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The Zapovednoye Posolstvo (Reserve Embassy) Charitable Educational Foundation and the Zapovedniki Ecocenter training center, together with MTS, presented an online training course, "Integrated Fire Prevention and Elimination Methods for Protected Area Staff." The program was developed to train specialists in strengthening the fire protection of Russia's unique natural areas. The course, for specialists and staff of environmental NGOs, is available on platform "Reserve Academy" and is timed to coincide with the celebration of the 109th anniversary of the Russian nature reserve system.
The published course, "Integrated Methods of Fire Prevention and Elimination for Protected Area Staff," is taught by Grigory Kuksin, PhD in agricultural sciences and lecturer in the Department of Forest Conservation, Protection, and Regeneration at the All-Russian Institute for Advanced Training in Forestry Specialists. He is one of the country's most respected experts and practitioners, with 27 years of experience in fire suppression in natural areas from the Far East to the Caucasus. In October 2025, the Zapovednoye Posolstvo Foundation and MTS organized a seminar with Grigory Kuksin in one of the most challenging areas for fires—Buzuluksky Bor National Park in the Orenburg Region. Participants monitored and developed effective fire suppression tactics, and also learned analytical methods to understand why fire safety regulations are violated and whether the cause and spread of fires is due to the negligence of tourists or the burning of dry grass.
The findings formed the basis of a video course developed by the Zapovednoye Posolstvo Foundation and MTS. It contains useful information on analyzing fire causes and fire suppression failures, the systematic work of an entire institution, and approaches to fire prevention, which participants in the Orenburg Region seminar received in person. The training consists of four modules, covering topics on a comprehensive approach to fire prevention, the specifics of developing and training staff in protected areas, and the role of fire in the formation of natural systems.
The course "Integrated Fire Prevention and Response Methods for Protected Area Staff" is designed for government inspectors, specialists from security and science departments, protected area managers, volunteer fire brigades, and local residents. Participants will not only receive a certificate but also a set of ready-made solutions for implementation in their areas. You can register for the course here. follow the link on the platform "Reserve Academy".
"The resulting course is crucial for protected areas. The statistics are alarming: according to the Federal Forestry Agency and the Center for Landscape Fire Prevention, over 90% of fires are caused by humans, and fires affect dozens of nature reserves and national parks every year. These flames destroy rare species of flora and fauna, which take decades to recover, and lead to soil erosion and disruption of water systems," notes Ksenia Gasparyan, Development Director of the Nature Conservation Embassy Foundation.
"The team of authors has systematized best practices for firefighting in protected areas and packaged them in a convenient digital format. This course is not just theory, but a step-by-step guide for those who care about nature conservation on a daily basis. For MTS, protecting green spaces is an important component of its ESG strategy. Our goal is not just to integrate carbon management principles into our operations but also to implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," says Yuri Savelyev, Vice President for Sustainable Development at MTS PJSC.
As Evgeny Pisarevsky, Head of the Forest Fire Protection Department at the Federal Forestry Agency, reported at the end of 2025, signs of global climate change are becoming clearly visible—one of the reasons for the increase in the number and size of fires. In 2025, according to preliminary results, 6,800 forest fires were recorded on forest lands covering an area of almost 4.5 million hectares. Large fires occurred in specially protected natural areas of federal significance in Transbaikalia, Buryatia, and other regions of Siberia and the Far East. This year, fires have noticeably shifted beyond the 66th parallel, into the Arctic zone! And the fire season in Russia has virtually lasted year-round.
In such conditions, prevention and proper fire suppression are an extremely important part of the work to save the country's natural heritage.
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