Firefighters gain control over wildfires in Russia

By the CNN Wire Staff

August 1, 2010 8:04 p.m. EDT

A man inspects the ruins of his house in the village of Beloomut, Russia, after wildfires ravaged the area.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

About half of the hundreds of wildfires in Russia are extinguished or contained
At least 28 people -- including two firefighters -- are dead
In one village, all 500 residents have been evacuated, and nearly every house is burned

(CNN) -- With nearly 86,000 people evacuated from fire-ravaged regions, Russian authorities said Sunday that firefighters were gaining control over blazes sweeping across thousands of acres in western Russia.

"Despite complicated weather conditions, the situation is under control thanks to preventive measures and efforts taken by the Russian Emergencies Ministry," a spokesman for the ministry told the Itar-Tass news agency.

At least 28 people have been killed and thousands left homeless by the wildfires, which are among the worst ever to hit western Russia. No fire-related deaths were reported since Friday, officials said Sunday.

Two firefighters were among the dead, Itar-Tass reported, citing the Emergency Ministry.

Latest figures from the ministry showed that 128,500 hectares (317,530 acres) were burned or had burned, and 774 "hotbeds of wildfire" were counted as of 6 a.m. Sunday. About half the fires had either been extinguished or contained, the ministry spokesman said.

"The most difficult situation with wildfires remains in the Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir and Voronezh regions and the Republic of Mordovia, where fires threaten several populated settlements," the ministry's information department said.