2022-2023 Siberian wildfires
Map of Russian regions affected by fires
LocationKrasnoyarsk Krai, Altai Krai, Irkutsk Oblast, Kemerovo Oblast, Omsk Oblast, Kurgan Oblast, Khakassia, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Tyumen Oblast, Sakha Republic
Statistics
Date(s)6 May 2022 – present
Causecareless handling of fire, short circuits of power lines and substations, or fires of dry grass
Deaths17

The 2022-2023 Siberian wildfires are a series of ongoing wildfires in Russia that began in Siberia in early May 2022. Fires are concentrated in the Krasnoyarsk, Altai, Irkutsk, Kemerovo, Omsk, Kurgan regions, Khakassia and Sakha republics. The total area of the fires, 10 May 2023, was estimated at 5.2 million hectares.[1]

Overview

Possible causes of fires are careless handling of fire during picnics on May holidays, short circuits of power lines and substations or fires of dry grass. Three employees of the power distributor Krasnoyarskenergo have been arrested and charged with manslaughter.[2]

As of 11 May, 1,298 buildings in 60 settlements burned down, including 200 homes, and at least 13 people died, including one child.[2][3] In the city of Krasnoyarsk, the authorities had found that the fine particle concentrations in the air has exceeded levels considered hazardous to human health due to the smoke from wildfires. An Omsk civil association account stated on Twitter that the governor of the region is busy holding pro-Putin festivals and there is no clear action from the regional Emergency Situations Ministry.[4]

President of Russia Vladimir Putin urged authorities to take stronger actions to prevent further spread of wildfire.[2] It is argued that they are uncontrolled due to resources diverted for the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[5][6][2][3][4] Smoke from the wildfires reached the western United States and worsened air quality on the coast of California.[7]

On 3 July 2023 a state of emergency was declared in Russia's far east. More than 110 forest fires were burning across 62,000 hectares.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ anon (12 May 2023). "In Photos: Russia's Western Siberian, Urals Regions Gripped by Wildfires". www.themoscowtimes.com. Moscow Times. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Times, The Moscow (11 May 2022). "Wildfires Kill 8 in Siberia". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b AFP (7 May 2022). "Two Hundred Homes Ablaze, Deaths in Siberia Fires: Authorities". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b Times, The Moscow (20 April 2022). "Public Outrage Mounts as Siberia Forest Fires Spread at Unprecedented Rate". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Siberian wildfires burning unchecked because Russian military units are at war". The Independent. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Fires burn in Siberia, but Russian firefighting assets are in Ukraine". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  7. ^ LaFever, Matt (26 April 2022). "Smoke From Half Way Across the World Affecting Local Air Quality". Redheaded Blackbelt. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  8. ^ Papachristou, Lucy (3 July 2023). "State of emergency declared in Siberia over raging wildfires". www,reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
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