Land tourist routes through the island of Olkhon are canceled because of the burning spruce forests on the largest island in the Baikal Lake.

      “The island now experiences a real ecological disaster. Relic spruce forests are in flames and burn down. Visibility makes up several tens of meters or even less, due to the smoke. Nearly all land routes through Olkhon are closed due to the fire, which results in cancellation or revision of tourist programs. The situation is dangerous for tourists who are already on the island” - the press secretary of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RUTI) Irina Tyurina reported.

      The island of Olkhon is the largest island in the lake, more than 500 thousand Russian and foreign tourists came here during the summer season of 2014. Tourists come with their own tents and live in stationary tourist centres. More than 70% of visitors of Pribaykalsky National Park stay on Olkhon. The actions of the Emergencies Ministry and “Reserved Baikal Region” FSUE yield no effective result in the extinguishing of fire areas. The extinguishing of fire on Olkhon involved the locals, the staff of tourist centres, tourists, including foreigners: they extinguish the flames without any special tools and equipment – with the use of conventional shovels, axes and saws. The situation on the shores is even more catastrophic in this regard, since there are practically no settlements there, and no one goes to fight the fire.