ULAN BATOR, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Around 100 Mongolians, including firefighters, soldiers and local residents, are now battling a cross-border steppe fire that extends from Russia to easternmost Mongolia, Mongolia's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said Saturday.

The steppe fire started in Russia and spread across the border Friday afternoon to Bayan-Uul soum (district) in Dornod province, according to NEMA.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, NEMA added.

A lack of snow in most areas of Mongolia in the past winter and the current dry conditions are increasing the risk of forest and steppe fires, NEMA said, urging people to help prevent forest and steppe fires.