MOSCOW, May 3. /TASS/. Nineteen forest fire points on the area over 17,242 hectares are present in the 5-kilometer zone around settlements in Russia, which is more than two times above the figure on Thursday morning, the operational services told TASS.

"Nineteen forest fire beds on the area of 17,242,2 hectares are active as of May 3 morning in the 5-kilometer zone around settlements. In particular, they were registered in Khabarovsk, Trans-Baikal and Krasnoyarsk Regions, the Jewish Autonomous Region, Buryatia, in Sverdlovsk and Amur Regions," a spokesperson said.

Four fires were contained on the area of 185 hectares, the spokesman noted. More than 2,000 people, 440 vehicles and 14 aircraft are now engaged in firefighting.