INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
wildfires.Residents must now obtain advance authorization from local officials to travel outside their communities, except when using
regional or federal highways
largely sparked by the widespread and poorly regulated burning of dry grass.Since the start of the year, Russia has recorded at least 680
wildfires covering more than 178,000 hectares (439,847 acres), Emergency Situations Minister Alexandr Kurenkov said.As of Friday, more than
already the worst in 15 years, with over 2 million hectares (4.9 million acres) burned by November
In contrast, just over 65,000 hectares (16,0618 acres) were burned in 2023.Forest coverage in the Zabaikalsky region has decreased by 30%
over the past three decades due to recurring wildfires, more than 70% of which are believed to be human-caused, Governor Osipov said.Along
with the republic of Buryatia and the Jewish autonomous region, Zabaikalsky is one of the leading regions in Russia using controlled burning
The technique involves setting low-risk fires in cooler seasons to reduce flammable debris ahead of the summer.The federal government
allocates significant funds annually for the practice.
