VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A large tract of area was destroyed in Russia's Far East region over the past 24 hours as wildfires continued to rage, the local forestry department reported on Monday.

"Amur region registered the most fires in the Far East Federal District... 60 wildfires swallowed 15,800 hectares over the past 24 hours in Russia's Far East region," it said.

By Monday morning, 19 fires had been extinguished and 41 fires are burning, including 27 fires in the Amur region and 13 in Khabarovsk.

Russia has reported 810 wildfires in its Far East regions so far this year, far more than the 626 wildfires reported in the same period of last year.

A state of emergency was declared in the Amur region earlier this month due to the spreading of wildfires.

">