The government has allocated additional funds in the 2011 federal budget to improve the fire hazards control efficiency and eliminate the effects of last year's fires in the Moscow Region.

An additional 1.4 billion roubles can be allocated for these purposes, including 1.1 billion roubles for flooding peat bogs and 300 million roubles for cleaning the forests destroyed by last year's fires. To facilitate the research and planning work on peat bog flooding in the Moscow Region and in implementation of the president's instructions, the government has prepared a draft resolution on assigning a single contractor to carry out the above work. It will be signed in the near future, Viktor Zubkov said in his opening remarks.

"The government of the Moscow Region must prepare project estimates in the shortest possible time to start spending the allocated funds, ensure prompt flooding of the most hazardous areas, and reduce the time frame of the project," added Zubkov.

At the meeting, the government and municipal authorities were also advised to intensify a public information campaign to prevent uncontrolled burning of grass and campfires.