IRKUTSK, June 17. /TASS/. Wildfires have engulfed more than 20,000 ha in Eastern Siberia’s Irkutsk Region, mostly in the hard-to-reach areas in the north, the local government said on Saturday.

The firefighters have localized four hotbeds of fire on nearly 4,000 ha. According to authorities, 22 more hotbeds have been found on the area of almost 17,000 ha and are monitored by foresters.

The highest fire hazard class has been declared in ten districts of the Baikal region due to hot and dry weather, meteorologists said.