Wildfire risk remains extremely high in five districts of Yakutia

YAKUTSK. Sept 13 (Interfax) - The wildfire risk remains extremely high (class 4-5) in five districts of Yakutia, and more than 60 forest fires are now raging in the region, the Yakutia operative headquarters said in a statement on Monday.

"Given the extremely high wildfire risk, there is a chance of emergence of new wildfire spots in the Churapchinsky, Amginsky, Ust-Maisky, Aldansky and Tomponsky districts," the statement said.

At this point, there is no wildfire threat to populated localities and economic facilities, it said.

In all, 63 wildfires are raging in Yakutia, and 13 of them are being extinguished in eight districts: Tattinsky, Ust-Maisky, Churapchinsky, Ust-Aldansky, Gorny, Vilyuisky, Nyurbinsky, and Namsky, the statement said.

The fires are being fought by 410 men and 69 pieces of hardware.

A regional wildfire emergency in Yakutia developed into an interregional emergency in Yakutia and the Irkutsk region on August 13.

According to Yakutia head Aisen Nikolayev, the total area of all wildfires registered this season has hit an all-time high of almost 8.5 million hectares.