MOSCOW, August 3. /TASS/. As many as 177 settlements are still affected by smoke from wildfires raging in Siberia and the Far East, a source in the Russian Emergencies Ministry’s press service told TASS on Saturday.

"The worst situation is now seen in Buryatia, Yakutia, the Trans-Baikal and Krasnoyarsk regions, as well as the Irkutsk Region, where smoke is affecting 177 settlements," the source said, adding that 12 jets dumped over 993 tonnes of water over the past 24 hours.

A total of 10,000 personnel, 2,800 pieces of equipment and 70 airplanes are involved in firefighting activities.