UPDATE - Chelyabinsk Governor Reports To Putin About Forest Fires - Kremlin

MOSCOW/DZHABYK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2021) Alexei Teksler, the governor of Russia's Chelyabinsk region, has briefed President Vladimir Putin about the forest fires in the region, and the evacuation of children who could become victims of the blaze, in particular, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday.

"The governor informed the president about the evacuation of more than 100 children from a health camp and boarding house due to the risk of catching fire," Peskov said.

The Russian president asked Teksler to come up with solutions on how to restore burned-down homes, as well as tasked the presidential office, the government, and the presidential administrative directorate to organize a summer vacation on the Black Sea coast for children from the area hit by the blaze.

Meanwhile, Deputy Emergencies Minister Ilya Denisov, who was sent to coordinate the response effort in the region, said almost 2,000 houses were saved from the fire.

"Despite a very complicated situation, thanks to the well-coordinated work by the fire, forest services, [as well as] the volunteers in seven settlements, we have managed to protect over 1,800 hoses from fire," Denisov said at a meeting, adding that the blaze did claim 72 buildings.

The deputy minister described the conflagration as a firestorm, with a flame temperature of over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit.

The forest fire has barreled through an area of about 34,500 acres and is currently still active across 49 acres. On Friday, the blaze hit two settlements, setting dozens of houses on fire.