A forest fire is rapidly spreading in Russia’s Altay Region as authorities have imposed an emergency mode in the Egoryevsky district.
The forest caught fire Wednesday afternoon, presumably caused by a dry thunderstorm, and has already increased to 4,200 hectares – earlier on Thursday morning the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that only 720 hectares were on fire.
216 people and 54 pieces of equipment, as well as a BE-200ChS amphibious aircraft, were involved in efforts to control the blaze. The distance to the nearest settlements is about 10 km.