200,000 hectares of forest burn in Russia

319 forest fires are raging in Russia on the area of about 198,000 hectares. Over the last 24 hours their number has reduced by 18, the Russian Emergency Ministry's information department reported on Friday.

About 5,500 people, 885 ground units and 20 aircraft are involved in fighting the fires.

Most of the fires have been registered in East Siberia: 100 in the Irkutsk region, 73 in the Chita region and 36 in Buryatiya.