Wildfires in Siberia

State or emergency in 

Siberia's largest permafrost region - due to wildfires

People evacuated after thunderstorms-with-no-rain ignite foliage and forests

Siberian Times,

21 July, 2014

More than one thousand people were evacuated from their homes in the Sakha 

Republic - also known as Yakutia - which is the largest region of the Russian 

Federation, while states of emergency are also in effect in other major regions 

such as Kransnoyarsk and Irkutsk.

Famed for its cold and permafrost, Sakha is now under siege from wildfires.

Vyacheslav Popov, head of the republic's Forestry Department, said: 'The area of 

wildfires doubled. There are 37 active wildfires in the republic right now covering 

the territory of 76,000 hectares. There is a threat to eight settlements in five areas 

of Yakutia''

'The biggest number if wildfires are here in Vilyui district', said the the local 

administration head, Sergey Vinokurov.

'They all started at the same time because of so-called 'dry thunderstorms' which 

we had last week.

'We had to send helicopters to evacuate people out of the most dangerous areas 

and bring them to Vilyuisk'.

The town is an administrative capital some 600 kilometres northwest of capital 

Yakutsk.

As Siberia frazzles in the summer heat, states of emergency were introduced in 

areas of Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk regions, the Republic of Buryatia, and three 

districts of Trans-Baikal region, plus one of the Tyva Republic.

'For the duration of the emergency situation, entering forests is strictly forbidden for 

the population', and punishable by fines of up to 100,000 rubles ($2,800)', locals 

were warned in Buryatia.

Wildfires are raging in ten district of Buryatia, including in the Trans-Baikal national 

park and the Barguzin wildlife reserve, it was reported.