A state of emergency was declared in two Russian regions today as summer fires spread amid intense heat.
The governor of Siberia’s remote Tuva region said authorities took the measure due to wildfires fueled by intense heat, strong winds and dry storms.
“Currently, 23 forest fires have been recorded on the territory of the Republic. About 17,000 acres have been covered by fire. Most of them are located in inaccessible mountainous areas,” Vladislav Kovalik, head of the Tuva region, told Telegram.
The rains are coming
Meteorologists predict the heat will ease in the coming days, while rain is expected in some parts of the region, he said.
“However, we cannot rely on the weather: July as a whole promises to be the most difficult month about the fire situation. And we must fight for every hectare of forest,” wrote Kovalik.
In Russia’s Far East, a federal state of emergency has been declared in the Republic of Sakha, also known as Yakutia. The Russian Emergencies Ministry reported 107 fires that have burned more than 3,310,000 hectares.
The situation is being monitored by drones, the ministry said in a post on Telegram.
Source: AMPE