Almost 80% of Russia's controlled forest fires burning in Krasnoyarsk Territory
BLAGOVESHCHENSK. June 20 (Interfax) - Russia has seen over 100 controlled forest fires on almost 25,300 hectares over the day, the federal forestry aviation service said in a statement on Wednesday.
The wildfire rate was the highest in the Krasnoyarsk Territory: 54 fires were burning on 20,000 hectares (compared to 10,200 hectares in the previous reporting period).
There were eight fires on 4,300 hectares in Yakutia, over 20 on 495 hectares in the Irkutsk region, four on 225 hectares in Tyva, and two on 101 hectares in Khakassia, the service said.
Fires were burning on less than 100 hectares in Buryatia (37 hectares), Altai (3 hectares), and the Arkhangelsk region (1 hectare), in addition to a fire on 35 hectares seen in the Altai State Nature Reserve, and the Khakassky Nature Reserve.
The report does not include fires burning in remote areas, where the firefighting efforts stopped. These areas are being monitored by forest firefighting units and via satellite.
Sixty-three forest fires were put out on 995 hectares over the day, regional forestry services said. The fires were fought by almost 1,800 men and 338 vehicles. Ninety-five aircraft took part in aerial monitoring and firefighting.
The wildfire season has begun in 82 constituent territories of Russia, and the wildfire emergency was declared in the Transbaikal Territory and two districts of Yakutia.