Forest fires spread on 37,500 hectares in Siberia

The most complicated forest fire situation persists in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Irkutsk Region, where an emergency had been declared since June 10, a source in the Siberian regional emergencies center told Itar-Tass today.

Some 24 major fires are raging there on 28,186 hectares.Some 18 major fires spread on the forests in four districts in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

Six major fires are burning down the forests in four districts in the Irkutsk Region.
No fire threat for the settlements exists.

"The firefighting task force has been reinforced up to 2,629 people and 320 units of machinery in the Irkutsk Region and 3,887 people and 316 units of machinery in the Krasnoyarsk Territory over the past day.

The aggregate firefighting task force in these two federal constituents makes 6,516 people and 636 units of machinery," the source said.

Meanwhile, four unmanned aircraft are planned to use for a reconnaissance mission of the fire situation in the Kezhem district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory on today.