Novorossiisk Mayor Andrei Kravchenko has announced a state of emergency in the southern Russian port city due to forest fires engulfing the outskirts of several villages and threatening others in the Krasnodar region. Authorities have already evacuated hundreds of residents, with more leaving through mountainous terrain where the firefighters' operational center said fire had burned more than 50 hectares and was continuing to spread. "Coastal rescuers in boats are ready to provide the necessary assistance in evacuating people by sea," the Novorossiisk mayor said via Telegram. Hundreds of firefighters and at least two helicopters are battling the blaze. To read the original story from RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here. To read to original story from Current Time, click here.
State Of Emergency Declared As Fires Burn Russia's Black Sea Coast
A handout photo from the Russian Emergencies Ministry shows a firefighter at the scene of a fire near Khutor Dyurso, in southern Russia, on July 14.