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Area of wildfires in Russia increases to 82,000 hectares over past 24 hours

Half of all the fires are affecting the Far Eastern Amur region

MOSCOW, May 25. /TASS/. The area of forest fires in Russia has increased by 6% over the past 24 hours, reaching nearly 82,000 hectares, and half of all the fires are affecting the Far Eastern Amur region, the Russian Federal Forestry Agency’s Aerial Forest Fire Center reported on Wednesday.

"As of 00:00, Moscow time on May 25 there were 102 forest fires affecting a total area of ··81,769 hectares in the territory of the Russian Federation, including 23 fires on the forest reserves area of 35,752 hectares (Amur region)," the statement says.

The forest fire area in the Buryatia republic was 24,000 hectares, and in the Trans-Baikal Territory - 19,000 hectares. A state of emergency is in effect in both regions, including the Amur region. Nearly 600 smoke jumpers and paratroopers are engaged in the fire extinguishing efforts there.

All in all, more than 16,000 hectares of forest burnt in Russia over the past day, according to the Aerial Forest Fire Center.