Devastating 245-Acre Wildfires Continue to Rage Across Siberia

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Over 1,200 people are battling the fire that had spread into 11 regions of Zabaikalsky Territory, the service said in a statement.

The Siberian fires started quickly spreading throughout the region in mid-April due to strong winds. In Khakassia republic in southern Siberia, almost 40 villages were affected by the fire. The fires already killed at least 30 people and left five thousand homeless, according to the latest data.

Russian Defense Ministry said earlier in the day that it started helping residents from severely hit areas to get their destroyed households back on track.