MOSCOW, August 5. /TASS/. The key culprit behind Siberia’s raging blazes is carelessness when handling fire, the press service of the Russian Emergencies Ministry informed TASS on Monday.
"Air reconnaissance has shown that most wildfires are located along roads. This suggests that the main reason for the emergence of these wildfires is human carelessness while handling fire," the press service said.
Earlier reports said that most of the blazes had been caused by hot weather, lack of precipitation and dry thunderstorms.
Russian Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev earlier said during a conference call that it was essential to continue awareness-raising campaigns with the public.
According to the Emergencies Ministry, wildfires in Siberia and the Far East have burnt over 2.4 mln hectares of woodland. Aircraft operated by the Russian Emergencies and Defense Ministries are involved in the firefighting effort.
Wildfires decrease by 25%
Forest fires in Russia’s Far East and Siberia have decreased by 25%, the Emergencies Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
"The deployment of additional personnel of the Emergencies and Defense Ministries to the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts made it possible to extinguish wildfires in over one mln hectares. All wildfires in special protected areas have been put out. Forest fires have declined by 25% since July 30," the statement reads.
According to the Emergencies Ministry, fires are burning on about 57,000 hectares, the main firefighting force is focused on combating these blazes. The ministry is particularly monitoring two forest fires five kilometers away from populated areas in the Irkutsk region. However, "the fires pose no threat to populated areas and economic facilities," the statement added.
More than 4,000 personnel and 400 pieces of equipment are involved in firefighting activities.