Over 36,000 hectares of Russian forest is currently ablaze, with 900 large-scale fires continuing to rage across the Far East, Siberia and the Urals. In the past 24 hours, their number has risen by 76 and the area affected has doubled.
"The situation is heading into the worst-case scenario," Vladislav Bolov said, adding that wildfires are predicted to rage strongest in May and June.
Strong winds and a long spell of dry and warm weather are cited as the main reasons for the wildfires, but also negligence as locals often set fire to dry grass to clear land for farming and other purposes.
Earlier this week two people died and 325 left homeless by fires that started Sunday and continued through to Monday in the Amur Region, in Russia's Far East.
