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Area of wildfires in Russia decreases by 16% over last 24 hours

© EPA/GONCALO DELGADO

MOSCOW, August 2. /TASS/. The area of wildfires in Russia has decreased by 16% over the last 24 hours - from 9,900 to 8,400 hectares, the Russian Aerial Forest Protection Service said on Tuesday.

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

"As of 12am Moscow time on 3 August 2016, a total of 48 wildfires was active on the area of 8,401 hectares on the territory of the Russian Federation," the service said.

The most massive wildfire is registered in the Krasnoyarsk Krai where 920 hectares in forests and almost 2,600 hectares in the Tungussky natural reserve are ablaze. A total of 1,400 hectares of forests are on fire in Buryatia, along with 796 hectares in the Barguzinsky natural reserve. Two wildfires are active in the Zapovednoye Pribaykalye natural reserve on the area of 370 hectares in the Irkutsk Region. h

Over 2,100 people were involved in extinguishing fire, and they managed to extinguish fire on the area of 2,900 hectares after it traveled around 1,100 hectares.

The state of emergency is in force in Buryatia and Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, and one district of the Irkutsk Region.

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