Yakutia eyes emergency because of forest fires

KHABAROVSK, May 27 (Itar-Tass) -- Yakutia might impose a state of
emergency because of raging forest fires although firemen dispatched to
the republic from five Russian regions succeeded to extinguish the blaze
on 4.5 thousand hectares in one day.
However the situation remains complicated and head of the forestry
department of the Far East Vladimir Kovalenko said on Friday "an emergency
situation should be introduced in Yakutia."
The regional forestry department said there are 34 fires on a total
space of 86.5 thousand hectares in Yakutia.
The city of Yakutsk and several others are covered with smoke and
residents were told to wear masks to avoid intoxication. People were
advised to limit physical load, stay at home, refrain from smoking, and
eat more vegetables and fruits.
Only three out of nine regions in the Far East are free of forest
fires - Kamchatka, Magadan, and Chukotka.
The space of fires decreased by 5.3 thousand hectares in the Far East
on Thursday. By Friday morning 51 fires were reported on a total space of
90 thousand hectares.