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59 fires registered in Siberia affecting 28,000 ha of forest

Four hot spots at an area of 18,588 hectares have been localised

КRASNOYARSK, April 20 (Itar-Tass) — As many as 59 hot spots of wildfires that affect an area of over 2,8236 hectares of forestland were registered in Siberia on Friday morning. Of them, 18 fires at an area of 19,354 hectares have been localised, the Siberian Regional Centre of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry (EMERCOM) told Itar-Tass.

Wildfires have been recorded in three regions - in the Trans-Baikal Territory, in the Republic of Buryatia and in the Novosibirsk Region. The Trans-Baikal Territory has been the worst hit by the fires. It currently has 13 major fires burning at an area of 26,481 hectares. Four hot spots at an area of 18,588 hectares have been localised.

“Over the past day, 2,437 people with 448 machinery units were engaged in the fire extinguishing efforts and fire prevention operations. EMERCOM aviation has twice taken smoke jumpers to the fire hot spots. For restricting the population’s access to forests a total of 1,085 posts have been set up, including 392 stationary. In addition, fire line ploughing around settlements at 27.2 kilometres has been carried out,” the centre’s press service said.

According to the hydrometeorology service reports, the fourth class fire hazard on the five-point scale may emerge in forests of seven Siberian territories - in the Omsk, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo Regions, in the Trans-Baikal and Altai Territories, as well as in the Altai Republic. In other territories of the Siberian district, the fire hazard of 1-3 points will prevail, according to the weather conditions.

“In the territories where the emergence of wildfire seats is forecasted the fire spreading to populated localities, energy facilities, towers of power transmission lines and other facilities is not ruled out,” the EMERCOM centre said.

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