Area of wildfires in Far East grows to almost 19,000 hectares

KHABAROVSK, July 19 (Itar-Tass) - Heat wave in Russia's Far East has
aggravated the situation with wildfires. Their area has increased by more
than 3,700 hectares over the past 24 hours reaching 18,875 hectares by
Tuesday morning, sources from the forestry department of the Far Eastern
Federal District told Tass.
"The situation in Yakutia remains the most difficult," the sources
said. Fires there have engulfed over 13,900 hectares of woodland and
almost 4,600 hectares of non-forest areas. Yakutia accounts for 24 of 35
wildfires fixed in the east of the country.
Fires are also registered in the Amur and Khabarovsk regions, as well
as in Chukotka, but the situation in those regions is not alarming.
Over 1,330 people have been mobilized to fight wildfires. Il-76,
Be-200 planes as well as Mi-26 and Mi-8 helicopters are used in efforts to
put out wildfires. They have been dispatched in the region by the Russian
Ministry for Emergency Situations.
An emergency situation regime has been announced in 19 municipalities
of Yakutia in connection with a difficult fire situation.