MOSCOW (July 20) XINHUA - Authorities in the Far Eastern Russian region of Khabarovsk on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the wake of raging forest fires, the Interfax news agency reported.
Viktor Ishayev, head of the Khabarovsk territorial administration, said 350 fires have been registered so far this year and over 20,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed.
As many as 121 fires were ravaging an area of more than 11,000 hectares as of Monday, Interfax said.
Fires have spread to lumbering centers and are approaching populated areas, posing a real threat to the local population and their property.
Ishayev instructed local leaders to take exhaustive measures to combat fires and ordered the use of technical equipment and personnel from all enterprises and organizations irrespective of their organizational and legal status.
Stocks of food, fuel and lubricants and other property are being prepared as part of the fire fighting measures.
A temporary ban has also been imposed on trips and excursions to forests. Motor vehicles would need a special permit to enter forest zones. Enditem 20/07/99 12:54 GMT
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Received by NewsEdge Insight: 07/20/1999 09:13:26