Wildfires scorch over 44 000 ha (109 000 acres) across Russia
Image credit: Anna Liesowska
According to a statement released by the Federal Aerial Forest Protection Service (Avialesokhrana) on Saturday, May 11, 2019, wildfires have scorched over 44 000 ha (109 000 acres) in 18 Russian regions.
As of May 11, 2019, a total of 54 forest fires are active in Russia, which engulf 44 245 ha (109 331 acres), the service said, as reported by TASS.
As many as 17 forest fires have been registered in Siberia's Krasnoyarsk region, while the number of wildfires active in the Kurgan, Irkutsk and Trans-Baikal region ranges from four to six.
Thousands of firefighters are battling the blazes.
A state of emergency has been declared in six regions – Kurgan, Trans-Baikal, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and Tuva regions, as well as in certain districts of the Chelyabinsk region, the Federal Aerial Forest Protection Service said.
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