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Wildfires keep spreading in Russian East Siberia

The local authorities have restricted access to woodland for people and vehicles, as well as operations in taiga from May 19 to July 8

CHITA, May 19. /TASS/. The area of wildfires in Russia’s Trans-Baikal region, East Siberia, has reached 24,600 hectares in the past 24 hours, growing by another 2,000 hectares, the regional forestry agency reports.

"Thirty-three wildfires covering an area of 24,600 hectares are fixed in the Trans-Baikal region, of which 21,500 hectares are woodland," the service said.

The local authorities have restricted access to woodland for people and vehicles, as well as operations in taiga from May 19 to July 8.

A total of 885 people are combatting the fires, assisted by 155 units of hardware, including bulldozers, tractors, vehicles and fire engines. Be-200ChS and Il-76 planes dump water on wildfires.

The fire situation is not expected to improve within the next five days, the agency’s press service said. Earlier reports said a state of emergency had been declared in the region amid wildfires.

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