Ilim Group allocates RUR 34 million for fire prevention activities in Russia's Bratsk and Ust-Ilimsk districts

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, June 6, 2011 (Press Release) - In 2011 Ilim Group has earmarked RUR 34 million for its fire prevention activities in the Bratsk and Ust-Ilimsk Districts.

One of the keys to fire prevention in both Districts is to prepare necessary equipment and tools. The plan for this year is to purchase three forest fire-extinguishing tractors and three general-purpose forestry tractors for the Bratsk District Branch. In addition, a motor boat with a barge, trailers, truck tractors, bulldozers, and a shift vehicle have been prepared for possible firefighting activities.

Within the harvesting operations of the Ust-Ilimsk District Branch, a special-purpose motorized detachment was created, consisting of a bulldozer, a fire-extinguishing tractor, a water tank truck, and a shift truck (wheel-mounted cabin).

Moreover, both Branches have established their firefighting crews.

Additional contractor organizations may be engaged to extinguish fires. The Branches in the Bratsk and Ust-Ilimsk District have signed contracts with the Irkutsk Institute of Solar and Terrestrial Physics of the Siberian Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences for satellite monitoring of the forests leased by the Company, as well as with the Irkutsk Forest Protection Airbase for aerial surveillance of forests and possible landing operations.

As part of the preventive action plan, the forestry branches of Ilim Group in the Irkutsk Oblast are equipping smoking areas in the most visited parts of the forests, installing forest fire warning signs and banners within town areas.