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Area of wildfires in Russia decreases by 43% over weekend

According to the Russian Aerial Forest Protection Servic, a total of 95 wildfires was active on the territory of the Russian Federation on the area of 28,878 hectares on 11 July 2016

© Vitaliy Nevar/TASS

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Wild fires engulfing new areas in Russia

MOSCOW, July 11. /TASS/. The area of wildfires in Russia has decreased by 43% over the weekend to 28,800 hectares, the Russian Aerial Forest Protection Service said on Monday.

"As of 12am Moscow time on 11 July 2016, a total of 95 wildfires was active on the territory of the Russian Federation on the area of 28,878 hectares," the service said.

A total of 7,300 hectares of forests is ablaze in the Buryatia; another 3,400 hectares - in the Zabaikalsky Krai; 3,300 hectares - in the Magadan Region; 3,100 hectares - in the Chukotka Autonomous Region; 1,900 hectares - in the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic; 1,700 hectares - in the Irkutsk Region; and 1,300 - in the Krasnoyarsk Krai.

Moreover, three wildfires cover over 2,100 hectares in Dzerzhinsky and Barguzinsky natural reserves, 1,000 hectares in the Zapovednoye Pribaykalye natural reserve in the Irkutsk Region, 3,000 hectares in the Lena Pillars national park in Yakutia, and 120 hectares in the Alankhai national park and Sokhodinsky natural reserve in Zabaikalsky Krai.

The state of emergency is in force in the Irkutsk Region, Zabaikalsky Krai, one district of the Krasnoyarsk Krai, one part of the Chukotka Autonomous District, 13 districts of Buryatia and two districts of Yakutia.

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