YAKUTSK, July 31. /TASS/. Nearly 800 people are involved in an effort to extinguish wildfires engulfing over 1.1 mln hectares in Siberia’s Yakutia (Sakha) Republic, the regional Ministry of Ecology said on its website on Wednesday.

"A total of 788 people are involved in the firefighting effort, including 151 workers of an on-the-ground forest protection service, 332 paratroopers and smoke-jumpers as well as 19 forestry workers. Some 273 local citizens and 13 emergencies personnel have been mobilized and 72 pieces of equipment are involved in the effort," the statement said.

The wildfires are raging on the area of over 1.1 mln hectares and an effort is underway to put out 24 hotbeds of fire, covering 1,400 hectares. The firefighting operation in hard-to-reach areas has been suspended upon a decision of local authorities.

The worst fires have been reported in northern and western Yakutia, where a Beriev Be-200 Altair multipurpose amphibious aircraft joined the firefighting effort on Tuesday.