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Krasnoyarsk reports record high level of forest fires over 50 years

The Krasnoyarsk territory has reported the biggest number of forest fires over the 50 years

KRASNOYARSK, July 17 (Itar-Tass) —— The Krasnoyarsk territory has reported the biggest number of forest fires over the 50 years. As many as, 1,887 wildfires in woodlands have been registered since the beginning of this year’s fire season (since April). According to the regional Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Yelena Vavilova, the previous record high of 1,880 forest fire was hit in 1990.

As of Tuesday morning, 48 fires are raging in a total territory of over 3,639 hectares of taiga, the Regional Forest Fire Protection Centre told Itar-Tass. Specialists of the Russian Forestry Service have managed to put out all large and crown fires. Under the report, 1,125 people, 62 hardware units and 14 aircraft were mobilised for the fire-fighting operations.

In Vavilova’s words, the biggest part of wildfires is raging in remote and thinly populated areas, where fires are mainly caused by dry thunderstorms.

The hike of the fire-fighting forces by times in the Krasnoyarsk territory made it possible to detect about 90 percent of new fire plots before their significant spread, as well as to put out roughly 74.5 percent of fires within 24 hours.