Wildfires in Russia's Far East have been raging across 2,470 hectares over the past 24 hours, the forestry department in the Far Eastern federal district told Itar-Tass on Thursday. Forest protection officers liquidated 16 of the 48 wildfires spreading across six regions and localized eight of them. According to the Emergencies Ministry, 603 firefighters, 72 machinery and 16 aircraft, including 11 helicopters, are engaged in the operation. The Khabarovsk Territory and the Republic of Yakutia, where thirteen and six fires covering the area of 1,800 hectares are reported respectively, face the most difficult fire situation. Yakutia's emergencies department issued an urgent warning of possible emergencies over a maximally high fire hazard. Fire hazards of level 4 and 5 are also reported in some regions of Sakhalin, the Magadan region and the Khabarovsk territory. Emergencies services warn that fires may spread to summer houses and economic facilities adjacent to forests on fire. The local authorities take all necessary measures to ensure fire safety.
