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Twenty-fire fires fixed in Baikal region’s taiga

15 woodland fires engulfing an area of almost 2,200 hectares keep spreading

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

ULAN-UDE, May 4 (Itar-Tass) — A total of 25 fires engulfing an area of more than 4,200 hectares are fixed in the taiga of Russia’s Baikal region.

“Ten fires affecting an area of 2,000 hectares have been localized. Meanwhile, 15 woodland fires engulfing an area of almost 2,200 hectares keep spreading,” a source from the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situation’s main department for the Baikal region have told Tass.

“The most difficult situation persists in the Mogochiny region, where three major fires have engulfed 3,300 hectares of woodland. Two of them emerged on Thursday,” the source said.

About 390 people assisted by more than 70 units of hardware combat the blaze. Seven Mi-2 and Mi-8 helicopters, two An-2 planes and a Cessna plane conduct air reconnaissance in areas hit by woodland fires.

All in all over 500 fire centers affecting an area of more than 112,000 hectares have been fixed in the region this spring. An emergency situation regime is in place there since the end of March.

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