MOSCOW, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Russian forest fire services have extinguished 62 forest fires covering an area of 2,330 hectares over the past 24 hours, Russia's Aerial Forest Protection Service said on Tuesday.
The agency further said a total of 17 regions have reported extinguished fires. As of Tuesday morning, 139 forest fires were still burning across 13 regions, affecting a total area of 49,706 hectares, with firefighting operations continuing.
Thunderstorms, unauthorized burning of dry grass and violations of forest fire safety regulations were among the main causes of the forest fires, the agency added. ■