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Around 50 wildfires on area of 6,500 hectares registered in Siberia

Most wildfires were registered on the territory of the Krasnoyarsk Krai

© Stoyan Vasev/TASS

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ULAN-UDE, July 28. /TASS/. The area of wildfires in Siberia has grown from 4,700 to 6,500 hectares over the last 24 hours. A total of 47 forest blazes is currently active in the region.

Most wildfires were registered on the territory of the Krasnoyarsk Krai. According to the forest fire protection service , 16 wildfires on the area of around 2,900 hectares were registered there, and three wildfires were localized on the territory of 1,200 hectares. "Most wildfires are registered in areas inaccessible for aviation," the service said adding that over 300 people and 15 units of equipment are taking part in an effort to extinguish fire.

Eleven wildfires were registered on the area of 1,900 hectares in Buryatia. "The existing wildfires spread on 1,200 hectares, the area of localized fires is 810 hectares," the Republican Foresty Agency said noting that 419 people are extinguishing fire. "Additional forces of forestry protection service are sent to the Pribaikalsky District. Specialists are using all terrain vehicles to get there. It is also planned to send a group of smoke jumpers from the Zabaikalsky base of aerial forest protection there," the agency’s press secretary Alexandra Yegorova said. The group will also be strengthened in the North Baikal district, she added.

The forestry agency of the Irkutsk Region said that 11 wildfires on the area of 922 hectares were registered there, and one wildfire on the area of 130 hectares was registered in Zapovednoye Pribaykalye natural reserve. "Eight wildfires were localized on the area of 665 hectares," the press service added.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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