Wildfires raging in 18 Russian regions - Emergency Situations Ministry

MOSCOW. Aug 22 (Interfax) - Russian Emergency Situations Ministry specialists have recorded ongoing wildfires in 18 regions of the country, the ministry's press service said on Monday.

"Wildfires are raging in 18 constituent territories. There are 101 wildfire spots, and the situation is the most difficult in the Ryazan region," the press service said.

This week, the Central and Volga Federal Districts "will see more heat, which will affect the fighting of wildfires," it said.

The Ryazan regional branch of the Emergency Situations Ministry said on Sunday that about 160 hectares were ablaze in the region, while the overall wildfire area had neared 8,600 hectares.

The Ryazan, Spassky and Klepikovsky districts of the Ryazan region and the Oksky Nature Reserve declared a wildfire emergency. A criminal case was opened on counts of the destruction or damage of forest plantations.