Wildfires hit Russia's Far East

Fourteen wildfires hit Russia's Far East within 24 hours, destroying 1,400 hectares of forest, the local forestry department reported Wednesday.

The Chukotka region suffered the most, it said, adding that wildfires were also reported in Yakutsk, Magadan, and Khabarovsk.

About 500 firefighters, 40 pieces of equipment and ten aircraft were involved in the firefighting efforts, the local administration said.

The Far East region has witnessed 1,044 forest fires so far this year, far more from the same period last year, covering 574.1 hectares of land.

In recent years, relatively hotter summers in the Russian Far East have created prime conditions for wildfires. Endi