Wildfires raging on over 40,000 hectares in Russia's Yakutia

YAKUTSK. July 19 (Interfax) - The Russian internal republic of Yakutia has 40,300 hectares of forests on fire, 57 wildfires have been recorded, the press service for the region's head and government said on Tuesday.

"Eight forest fires on a total area of 3.951 hectares in the Vilyui, Mirny, Ust-Maisky, Zhigansky, Momsky and Aldan districts were extinguished over the past day," the statement said.

In total, 57 forest fires are burning, of which 24 are in the Aldan district, 12 are in the Neryungri district and 10 are burning in the Ust-Maisky district.

On the same date last year, 203 wildfires were recorded on a total area of 1.47 million hectares.

In total, 396 people and 20 pieces of equipment were involved in firefighting efforts.

An emergency was declared in the forests of the region.