Wildfires in Russia affecting area of over 1 mln ha - Emergency Situations Ministry

MOSCOW. July 24 (Interfax) - As many as 267 wildfires covering an area of over one million hectares are currently ongoing in 19 constituent territories across Russia, the Emergency Situations Ministry said on Monday.

"At the present time, 267 forest fires are ongoing in an area of over one million hectares in 19 constituent terries of the Russian Federation," it said.

More than 480 people and five helicopters have been involved in fighting the forest fires, it said.