KHABAROVSK, May 3. /TASS/. Almost 70 forest fires on a total area of about 74,000 hectares have been registered in Russia, 143 of them have been extinguished over the past 24 hours, the press service of the Aerial Forest Protection Service reported on Thursday citing data provided by regional forestry agencies.

"Forest firefighters have extinguished 143 forest fires on the area of 40,327 hectares over the past 24 hours. As of 00:00 on May 3, 2018, 67 forest fires were raging on an area of 74,028 hectares. Work is underway to extinguish them," the press service said.

The largest blazes are raging in the Amur Region, with more than 54,400 hectares covered by blazes, as of Thursday morning. Large areas engulfed by fires have also been registered in the Khabarovsk Region, the total area amounts to nearly 15.300 hectares. In the Primorsky Region, the forest fires have engulfed the area of about 1,900 hectares, in the Trans-Baikal Region - about 650 hectares, in Buryatia - slightly over 300 hectares. Wildfires have also been registered in the Jewish Autonomous Region and the Saratov Region.

Over 3,400 people and 730 units of equipment are involved in firefighting efforts. Besides, 375 paratroopers from the Federal Aerial Forest Protection Service have joined the firefighting operation to help stabilize the situation in the Amur Region.