MOSCOW, May 11. /TASS/. Rescuers have prevented forest fires from spreading to over 70 populated settlements across Russia in the past twenty-four hours along with the help of aviation, Head of the Emergencies Ministry’s National Crisis Management Center Viktor Yatsutsenko said on Wednesday.
"The effective use of Be-200ChS planes jointly with the ground grouping of fire-fighting and rescue units has allowed preventing the spread of wildfires to over 70 populated areas in the past twenty-four hours alone," Yatsutsenko reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a video link-up.
Four communities have been affected by forest fires this year, he said.
"The instances of fires spreading to houses have been registered in four populated settlements in three Russian regions since the beginning of the fire-hazardous season," he added.
The fire-fighting and rescue teams have been able to promptly evacuate the population, eliminate fire outbreaks and prevent any deaths from the fire, Yatsutsenko said.
"Efforts are under way to provide targeted assistance to the people who have lost their housing," the National Crisis Management Center chief said.
The main efforts are focused on protecting communities, economic and infrastructural facilities from fires, he added.