MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. Forest fires are raging in nine regions of Russia on an area of over 170,000 hectares, the press service of the Aerial Forest Protection Service reported on Wednesday.

"As of 00:00 Moscow time on July 24, 2019, 170 forest fires were raging on an area of 172,756 hectares. Work to extinguish them was in progress," the press service said.

Most fires were registered in the Irkutsk Region (71 fires on an area of 119,500 hectares).

According to the Aerial Forest Protection Service, firefighters have extinguished 36 forest fires on an area of 20,400 hectares over the past 24 hours. Over 2,000 people and 315 pieces of equipment were involved in the firefighting effort.

Special fire-prevention rules have been put in place in 42 regions, a state of emergency is in effect in four regions.