Wild fires destroy over 900 houses in central Russia, five killed

　 Firefighters work to extinguish fire standing next to a burning building outside the town of Vyksa, some 150 km (93 miles) southwest of the Volga city of Nizhny Novgorod, July 29, 2010. (Reuters Photo)

　 A man sits on the ground while a house burns due to severe heat, outside the town of Vyksa, some 150 km (93 miles) south-west of the Volga city of Nizhny Novgorod, July 29, 2010. (Reuters Photo)

　 An Emergencies Ministry plane pours out water to extinguish fire caused by severe heat outside the town of Vyksa, some 150 km (93 miles) southwest of the Volga city of Nizhny Novgorod, July 29, 2010. Russia"s worst drought for decades is set to drag on for at least the next 7 days in some areas but further serious damage to grain crops is not expected, a senior government weather forecaster said on Thursday. Picture taken July 29, 2010. (Reuters Photo)
　
　

　 A woman reacts while heavy smoke emits and fire burns in the background due to severe heat, outside the town of Vyksa, some 150 km (93 miles) south-west of the Volga city of Nizhny Novgorod, July 29, 2010. (Reuters Photo)

MOSCOW, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Forest fires in central Russian regions burned down more than 900 houses and killed at least five people in the last 24 hours, the Emergencies Ministry said on Friday.

　
　

Over 270 houses were destroyed in the Voronezh region and about 500 houses burned down in the Nizhny Novogorod region, RIA Novosti news agency reported citing the ministry"s figures.

　
　

"Five people, including a firefighter, were killed. Twenty-one were hospitalized and over 100 received ambulatory treatment in the Voronezh region," an spokesman of the Emergencies Ministry said.

　
　

Over 2,500 people were evacuated, he added.

　
　

In the Nizhny Novogorod region, at least 1662 residents have been evacuated so far from the areas threatened by fast spreading fires.

　
　

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has arrived Friday in the Nizhny Novogorod region to assess the situation.

　
　

In the Vladimir region, over 70 houses were destroyed. Some 60 houses were burned down in Moscow region.

The ministry has sent 16 aircraft and helicopters and additional firefighting units to fight wild fires in central Russia, as the recorded high temperature brought the worst drought and numerous forest fires across much of western and central Russia.

　
　

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered the government to take urgent measures to put out fires and to allocate funds for damage compensation.

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