Vilfand reported on the aggravation of the fire hazard in a number of regions of Russia

"The level of fire hazard for the first time will rise to the fifth grade since the beginning of the year," the forecaster quoted TASS as saying.

He noted that the fire hazard could reach an extraordinary level in such regions as Altai Krai, Novosibirsk Oblast, the west of Omsk and Tomsk Oblasts, as well as in the south of the Urals.

A high risk of forest fires in these regions will be recorded from May 5 to May 7, added Wilfand.

Earlier, Yevgeny Tishkovets, a leading expert at the Phobos weather center, predicted abnormal rains with thunderstorms in Central Russia.