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13 forest fires break out in Amur region over past day

The dry and windy weather makes the fires spreading quicker
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

KHABAROVSK, April 17 (Itar-Tass) —— Five forest fires were put out on 65 hectares in the Amur Region over the past day and another five fires on 120 hectares were localized. The firemen continue the fire-fighting efforts against three fires on 38 hectares, a source in the forestry department in the Far Eastern Federal District told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

Some 193 people, including 95 specialists of the fire airborne service, 29 emergency workers and workers of other emergency services and local residents are involved in the fire-fighting.

“The dry and windy weather makes the fires spreading quicker. In such weather conditions any open fire can result in major fires,” chief of the main Emergency Situation Ministry department in the Amur Region Viktor Bukhta commented on the fire situation.

Since April 14 on the orders of the governor the special fire-fighting regime was introduced in the whole Amur Region. The measures of responsibility for violations of the fire safety rules were toughened. The visit to the forests during the special fire-fighting regime, the driving in the forest, bonfires and dry grass fires will be punished with fines of 2,000-4,000 roubles for individuals, 15,000-30,000 roubles for officials and 400,000-500,000 roubles for juridical persons, a source in the main Emergency Situation Ministry department in the Amur Region said.

The Far Eastern regional emergency situation centre reported that the wildfires in the Far East were reported only in the Amur Region by 10:00 local time on April 17.