Fire in Russian Federation

Forest fires have struck the Repubilc of Sakha, Yakutia, in Russia. The fires stretch across northeastern Siberia.

Record temperatures, drought, climate change, thunderstoms and lightning have all been cited as causing the fires.

Many flights in the area have been grounded due to the smoke, which has reportedly reached as far as the Urals, Khakassia, Yamal, the Trans-Baikal Territory, Irkutsk Region, Ugra, and Sakhalin. It is also preventing the use of firefighting airplanes, with thousands of personnel only able to work against the fires on the ground and with helicopters.