Polish firemen help fight fires in Russia

A Polish firefighting battalion, which has been sent to help Russia fight heavy fires, on Tuesday began operations in the Ryazan district, one of the hardest hit with fires Russia's regions.

A total of 159 Polish firefighters and 45 firefighting and rescue vehicles have been sent to Russia, according to the PAP news agency.

Polish firefighters will be helping Russians for two weeks. The operation is coordinated by Russian rescue services.

Poland is one of the seven countries which sent its rescuers and firefighters to extinguish forest fires in Russia. A total of 525 foreign rescuers and firefighters are trying to control fires in Russia.

Hundreds of forest and peat bog fires have ignited amid Russia' s most intense heat wave in 130 years of record-keeping.

Source: Xinhua