Firefighters extinguish 8 out of 16 forest fires in Russia’s Far East

Firefighters and rescuers extinguished eight out of 16 forest fires registered over the past 24 hours in Russia's Far East, a spokesman for the regional emergencies ministry said on Wednesday. He said six of the remaining forest fires continue raging in the Primorye Territory and two in the Jewish Autonomous Region. Over 250 people and 90 units of firefighting hardware, including eight aircraft, were involved in combating the wildfires, he added. Wildfires across Russia are common during dry and hot summers and in the fall. Most fires start because of the carelessness of local residents. Forest fires devastated a number of regions in central Russia last year, killing 62 people and leaving thousands homeless.