Half of forest fires put out in Russian Far East over past 24 hours
VLADIVOSTOK. April 22 (Interfax) - Twenty-seven out of 53 forest fires raging in the Russian Far East were put out over the past 24 hours, the forestry department of the Far Eastern Federal District said.
Wildfires spread across almost 5,700 hectares, including roughly 4,500 hectares in the Amur region, in the same period.
As of Tuesday morning, the Far East was witnessing 26 forest fires, among them 14 in the Primorsky territory (with eleven fires confined) and six in the Amur region (one fire confined). Four fires were burning in the Khabarovsk territory and two in the Jewish autonomous region.
Some 839 men, 137 fire engines, four planes and five helicopters are extinguishing the flames.
A total of 1,128 forest fires have broken out on an area exceeding 116,600 hectares in the district since the beginning of this wildfire season.
The district reported eight forest fires on a total area of 715 hectares in the respective period of 2013.
