Reports from Russia describe a tense phase of forest fires, with the hardest-hit areas including Yakutia and the Sverdlovsk region. In conversations with a national news service, Grigory Kuksin, founder of the Landscape Fire Prevention Center, outlines a sharp upsurge in activity as the season peaks.
During the height of the fire season, the pressure on response teams intensifies. The current forecast points to ongoing strain over the next one to two weeks. Yakutia stands out as the epicenter of difficulties, where multiple challenges converge. Provinces such as Yakutia, the Khabarovsk Territory, and the Amur Territory are experiencing the most extensive fires and the toughest conditions. An unusual setback is also reported in the Ural region, with the Sverdlovsk area confronting similar threats this year.
The expert notes that significant measures have been put in place to curb smoke in Yekaterinburg. He stresses that peat fires pose a special danger because they release toxic fumes and can reignite new fires even after initial suppression efforts. Weather patterns, however, remain a limiting factor; some fires may persist until substantial rainfall occurs, but current conditions do not favor rapid relief.
As of late July, official summaries indicate 267 active natural fire spots scattered across 19 regions, with the total burned area approaching one million hectares. Projections from specialists suggest that next week may bring heightened fire risk to areas such as Astrakhan, the southern parts of Volgograd, and Kalmykia, necessitating vigilant monitoring and rapid response readiness.
In a critical development, a former head of the Emergency Situations Ministry criticized the current approach to preventing natural fires, calling for renewed focus on prevention, rapid assessment, and coordinated action among regional authorities and firefighting services. The broader takeaway remains clear: without stronger preventive measures and timely interventions, the fire season could impose ongoing strain on communities, economies, and the environment across the country. [citation: interview with Grigory Kuksin, founder of the Landscape Fire Prevention Center]