MOSCOW, August 4 (Itar-Tass) —— About 100 wildfires are currently reported across entire Russia, a deputy head of the Russian forestry protection authority (Rosleskhoz) said on Thursday.
“This year not so many wildfires are registered in Russia as compared with the previous year. Thus, a total of 176 fires were reported on Wednesday, while a year ago the figure was 938. As of Thursday morning, there were 99 forest fires in Russia,” Yevgeny Trunov told a news conference.
According to Trunov, last year’s wildfires have taught very serious lessons. “Financing has been doubled to reach four billion roubles, extra funds in the amount of five billion roubles have been allocated to buy fire fighting equipment. This was the biggest re-equipment of fire fighting services in the past 25 years,” he noted.
Nonetheless, he went on, difficult wildfire situation was reported this year in the republics of Yakutia and Buryatia, in the Krasnoyarsk and Baikal territories, and in the Irkutsk region in Russia’s Siberian and Far Eastern federal districts. Fire situation in northwestern Arkhangelsk region and the republic of Komi deteriorated in late July.