MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/: Over 310 forest fires have been extinguished in Russia over the last three days, the press service of the Aerial Forest Protection Service said on Wednesday.
"According to regional forestry departments, 316 forest fires were extinguished over the last three days. As a result of active firefighting efforts, the territory of forest fires was reduced by almost three times, from 44,556 hectares on May 12 to 16,607 hectares on May 15," the press service said.
In the last 24 hours, 70 forest fires were extinguished on the territory of around 17,500 hectares, including a large-scale wildfire in the Zapovednoye Probaikalye natural reserve in the Irkutsk region.
Most forest fires are reported in the Zabaikalsky region (7,700 hectares), Kurgan region (6,700 hectares), and Irkutsk region (1,500 hectares).
A total of 2,200 people and 488 units of equipment are involved in extiguishing forest fires.
A state of emergency over wildfires was declared in the Kurgan and Zabaikalsky regions, as well as in the two areas of the Irkutsk region.
