Forest fires in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region expand to 519,600 hectares

The area affected by forest fires in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region expanded by 53,000 hectares in a single day to 519,604.1 hectares, according to the regional Forest Fire Centre.

Operational data for the morning of August 26 showed that fires had covered 465,800 hectares. At that point, 165 fires were burning across six districts in the northern part of the region.

As of 7:45 a.m. on August 27, 159 forest fires remained active, the centre said, according to TASS.

 There was no immediate threat to populated areas.

A total of 706 people and eight pieces of equipment were involved in firefighting operations in the region.

The fires were burning in the Evenkiysky, Turukhansky, Yeniseysky, Kezhemsky, Boguchansky and Taymyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky districts.

The wider wildfire situation remains severe across Russia. According to the Federal Forestry Agency, firefighting operations are underway in 15 regions involving 132 forest fires. Across the country, 3,850 people, 384 pieces of equipment and 32 aircraft have been deployed.

States of emergency have been declared at the regional level in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Tomsk Region, the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. A municipal-level emergency has also been declared in one municipality in Irkutsk Region.

The situation in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Tomsk Region, the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug has been classified as an interregional emergency.

Krasnoyarsk Krai, Tomsk Region and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug have additionally been classified as being under a federal-level emergency.

By Tamilla Hasanova