Wildfires that have been sweeping across the Zabaikalsky region in Russia’s Far East since late last week prompted residents near the regional capital, Chita, to evacuate their homes on Monday, leading authorities to close sections of a federal highway.

The Russian Aerial Forest Protection Service reported that a combined team of firefighters, government representatives, and volunteers has been working to combat fires caused by human activity that have been encroaching on the town of Atamanovka since Friday.

“It was clearly arson. There were three points of ignition occurring simultaneously,” said Viktor Mashukov, the head of the Chitinsky district, over the weekend. “The police are currently investigating the matter.”

Atamanovka, which has a population of under 10,000, is situated 18 kilometers (11 miles) from Chita and has faced fire threats at least twice in the last two months.

On Monday, Mashukov announced that a dacha community consisting of around 50 homes was completely consumed by the wildfire.

According to the Zabaikalsky regional branch of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the fire has so far burned 350 hectares (865 acres), with a perimeter extending 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

Footage shared by officials and local media depicted flames and dense smoke ravaging the forest. Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry indicated that 153 children were safely evacuated from a nearby summer camp, with a second camp being cleared later that same day.

Authorities have also temporarily closed parts of a federal highway that connects the region to the Chinese border.

Currently, the Zabaikalsky region is responsible for 81% of all wildfire-affected areas in Russia and has been under a federal state of emergency for the last two months.

Experts attribute the majority of this year’s wildfires to human actions, particularly the burning of dry grass in proximity to villages. They also noted that a lack of snow cover and an early onset of spring have exacerbated the situation.