A fire broke out in the outskirts of Astana on June 19. Smoke engulfed the entire city. To extinguish the fire, helicopters of the ministry of emergency situations siphoned water from the nearby Taldykol system of lakes – the same lakes that have been threatened by real estate construction for the past three years. For many years, this lake ecosystem has contributed to the regulation of temperature and humidity levels in the city, and served as a habitat for many birds, including endangered...
