Authorities in Siberia’s republic of Tyva declared a regional state of emergency due to ongoing wildfires exacerbated by prolonged hot and dry weather.
Sakha is now the fourth region in the Far East where a state of emergency is currently in place due to wildfires. The other three are the Zabaykalsky and Amur regions, as well as the republic of Buryatia. Russia’s wildfire season officially began in early March. By mid-April, regions in the Far East recorded nearly twice as many fires as they had during the same period last year, with most blazes caused by human negligence.
The driest summer in 150 years has turned Yakutia into a tinderbox and seen wildfires tear through the region.
Even school children are in firefighting brigades in some areas of Yakutia.
Omsk region reported ‘record high’ number of wildfires and cases of dry grass burning, that turn into wildfires this spring, with one day last week counting nearly a thousand new events a day. Omsk region emergency services said the number of wildfires is seven to ten times above the norm.
Most of the blazes are in a region that saw possibly the hottest-ever temperature above the Arctic Circle this month.
Dry conditions fuel dozens of fires and result in a state of emergency across the Siberian Federal District.
Observations From Members 