Russia: Wildfires continue to ravage Siberia August 1 /update 1

Event

Wildfires across Siberia have burned 3 million hectares as of Thursday, August 1, which the Federal Forest Agency indicated that the fires have been burning over several weeks. After several days of no effort to extinguish the fire, President Putin ordered the Russian Army to begin firefighting efforts. The decision was made mainly because smoke was beginning to affect nearby populations.

Context

A state of emergency was declared due to a wildfire on Monday, July 29, though authorities at first decided they would not try to extinguish the fire due to its remote location.

Advice

Individuals in the affected areas are advised to monitor developments, exercise caution when traveling in areas near the wildfire, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities (e.g. evacuation orders).