Forest fires in Russia

Four hundred and four forest fires have been registered in Russia at the moment, the information department of the Russian Emergencies Ministry said with reference to regional centers of the Ministry.

"In the last 24 hours the total area of forest fires totaled 7 thousand hectares," the Ministry's spokesman reported.

According to the Ministry's data, at present 76 serious forest fires have been registered in ten constituent members of the Russian Federation.

"Russia's Far East is most affected by forest fires," the information department stressed.

Over 3,700 people, 658 vehicles and 44 aircraft are fighting the fires.