"The Russian Emergencies Ministry managed to save over 2,200 homes of more than 8,000 people from fire with the use of aviation," the statement read.
The document added that over the last 24 hours four aircraft, used for fighting the fires in the Siberian Federal District, discharged 282 tonnes of water in Buryatia, Irkutsk Region and Zabaykalsky Territory.
According to the ministry, it had increased the number of aircraft involved in the protection of inhabited areas and infrastructure objects from the fires in the most affected areas of the federal district. A total of 51 aircraft are ready for fire-fighting operations, including eight helicopters and five aircraft of the Emergencies Ministry.
Russian Minister of Emergency Situations Vladimir Puchkov announced the introduction of the emergency in connection with the fires in the Siberian Federal District on Friday.
