Russia: Already more forest fires than in the same period last year

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

Perilous Times and Climate Change

Russia: Already more forest fires than in the same period last year

Many forests and swamps are in flames in Russia. Fires are so far occurring in Siberia and the Far East of the country, said the Russian Ministry for emergency situations on Monday. On Sunday more than 400 fires were registered on an area of approximately 110,000 hectares.

So far this year an area of more than 290 000 hectares are already affected by 8500 fires. The area is twice as large as in the same period last year.

Russia was the summer of 2010 hit by the worst heat wave since the beginning of weather records. Many large fires went out of control last year l and dozens of people died, thousands of houses burned down. The fires also threatened military installations and nuclear power plants. For several weeks Moscow was plagued by toxic smoke which led to increased mortality.

The environmental organization Greenpeace warned against further destructive fires in Russia in the summer due to slow response from the officials to the growing danger. Forest fires have started earlier this year and are also more dangerous”, said Alexei Yaroshenko, responsible for the forestry program in Greenpeace.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had last month threatened that officials would be sent personally to work as firefighters if they do not succeed this year to prevent fires. (Source: AFP / russland.RU - Internetzeitung)

[ russia-media.RU – Murmansk & Shtokman News / FLAIT Group Murmansk ]