Conclusions

The main cause of fires in 1998 was clearly the abnormally arid summer. However, the losses could have been significantly reduced had it not been for a series of problems, which besides the main problem of insufficient financing of the Forest Service, included:

• lack of machinery, equipment, fuel and other petroleum products, etc. for effective forest fire fighting;
• lack or falsification of information, possessed by the Sakhalin forest administrations, regarding the scale of forest fires, the current situation and the efficiency of measures taken. This became one of the reasons the federal authorities' help came so late - the information that came there did not reflect the extent of the catastrophe;
• lack of a monitoring system of actual fire situation and its development;
• ineffective anti-fire measures, insufficient mobilization of human resources and equipment in the beginning of the fire season, when the effect could have been maximized. The potential of the regional and local forest departments were not fully utilized, and similar departments of other regions, where the fire situation was not as serious, didn't offer any tangible assistance;
• lack of preventative measures and insufficient preparation by the beginning of the fire season;
• underestimation of the central mass media's role and their insufficient involvement in forming public opinion and obtaining public support for anti-forest fire measures;
• inability of the Sakhalin Forest Department to set up and coordinate suppression of forest fires in the region in an emergency fire situation. Insufficient coordination of fire suppression activities by various state bodies;
• assistance (organizational, technical and financial) both from federal authorities and the region's administration came too late;
• insufficient attention by the Regional Administration regarding the fire situation in 1998.

Based on the results of the 1998 fire season, several important questions arise for the Sakhalin Region.

Large areas of burned forests (and serious losses of wood) necessitate a decrease of annual allowable cut, especially because many economically accessible forests burned. Recalculation of the annual allowable cut is most needed for Nogliksky, Okhinsky, Smirnykhovsky, Pervomaysky, Uglegorsky, Tymovsky, Verkhne-Tymsky and Poronaysky Leskhozes. They also require decrease of the permissible volumes of yield on leased land, in order to avoid increase in wood felling on steep slopes of ridges, and in protected zones of spawning rivers - i.e. where forests perform a much higher environmental than economical function. In the absence of this recalculation, spawning rivers and salmon will be significantly damaged, causing damage of Sakhalin's fish industry which is one of the most highly developed economic sectors and profitable. It's important to remember, that salmon in central and northern Sakhalin play a very important socio-economic role in times when salaries are not paid and the local population is forced into poverty. Fish become the main source of existence.

Without effective measures, which must be taken very soon in order to harvest burnt wood, the incidence of wood pest outbreak and further forest loss is highly likely.

1998 has clearly demonstrated that well developed and feasible anti-fire programs are required. They should take into account various scenarios and imply creation of financial reserves, securing additional technical resources as well as human resources to suppress forest fires. This complex of measures should imply, among other things, the organization of a public campaign and involvement of the national media for purposes of lobbying necessary organizational and financial support on the federal level. Another promising activity is coordinating Far Eastern regions' forest fire suppression efforts.

Since forest administrations are not able to effectively manage the host of issues presented by Sakhalin's forest lands, it is advisable to organize an additional body within the region's administration. This new structure is to control fire preventive measures and observance of forest fire safety regulations, monitor the fire situation, be capable of fast situational assessment and analysis, as well as coordinate activities of different forest fire fighting services and departments.

In addition, it is necessary to undertake large-scale planting of seedlings and provide natural plant regeneration in areas burnt during 1998, former logging sites and areas which suffered fires in previous years and did not regenerate.