News from Siberia

Wildfires sweep over record 32,000 hectares in southern Siberia

Since the start of the fire season in Russia’s Buryatia, a total of 598 fires have been registered across over 77,000 hectares

TASS,

25 May, 2015

ULAN-UDE, May 26. /TASS/. The wildfire area in southern Siberia has grown by 20% over the past 24 hours to 32,000 hectares in mountain taiga and steppes of Buryatia, a spokesperson for the local forestry agency said on Tuesday.

Now a total of 28 forest fires are raging across the territory of the republic. "The fires have been registered in 10 areas of the republic," Alexandra Yegorova said.

The fire-fighting operation currently involves 1,500 people, including smoke jumpers, and also 164 fire engines and 70 pieces of heavy equipment. Servicemen are helping the rescuers and rangers in the effort.

According to the press service of the Eastern military district, helicopters are used to monitor the situation in the republic. Water is poured from the aircraft towards the fire zones.

Since the start of the fire season in Russia’s Buryatia, a total of 598 fires have been registered across over 77,000 hectares. A state of emergency introduced in mid-April remains in force.

Puzzle over mass death of fish in Siberian lake

http://siberiantimes.com/ecology/others/news/n0218-puzzle-over-mass-death-of-fish-in-siberian-lake/

Shocked locals have posted pictures of the dead fish amid suspicions they were killed by explosions as officials melted winter ice to prevent flooding. 

The disturbing scene was at Lake Khatyng, in the Sakha Republic, the coldest region in Russia. The fish - believed to be carp and grouper - were seen dead en mass on 14 May. 

Locals in Tulagino village blamed the dynamiting of local rivers to prevent ice causing dams on rivers, so leading to flooding of villages. But representatives of the Ministry of Emergencies in the republic, also known as Yakutia, denied being responsible for the dead fish. 

A spokesperson said: 'On 13 May we did blow up the ice, but the work was near the village of Namtsy, almost 100 km from Tulagino. Even if we assume that fish died because of the explosion, it is unlikely that they were carried such a distance.'.....