The area embraced by wildfires in Russia's Siberia has increased by 56 percent to some 400 hectares (988 acres) over the past 24 hours, the local forestry department reported on Thursday.

“Eight forest fires are active in the district at an area of 399.6 hectares,” the department said.

The department said there is no threat to localities and industrial facilities.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in August called for personal responsibility for forest fires across the country.

In the summer of 2010, devastating wildfires swept across Russia, killing more than 50 people, destroying thousands of houses, 2.6 million hectares of woods and a quarter of the country’s grain harvest.