Officials in Siberia banned residents from setting foot in the local forests and declared an emergency situation in light of the rapid expansion of forest fires in the Buryatia region.
"For the duration of the emergency situation, entering forests is strictly forbidden for the population," and punishable by fines of up to 100,000 rubles ($2,800), the region's forestry department said in a statement quoted by Interfax Friday.
Forest fires have spread over an area of 2,778 hectares in the past night — effectively doubling the area that had been covered the day before, the report said.
Nature reserves Zabaikalsky and Barguzinsky were among the areas affected by the flames, Interfax reported.
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