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Russian army ordered to tackle massive wildfires | Russian army ordered to tackle massive wildfires |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the army to help tackle massive wildfires raging in Siberia and other regions in the east. | Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the army to help tackle massive wildfires raging in Siberia and other regions in the east. |
The decision was taken after Mr Putin was briefed on the growing crisis by the head of the emergencies ministry. | The decision was taken after Mr Putin was briefed on the growing crisis by the head of the emergencies ministry. |
About three million hectares (7.4 million acres) have been affected, in what Greenpeace is describing as an "ecological catastrophe". | About three million hectares (7.4 million acres) have been affected, in what Greenpeace is describing as an "ecological catastrophe". |
Many local residents say not enough is being done to tackle the fires. | Many local residents say not enough is being done to tackle the fires. |
More than 700,000 people have signed a petition calling for tougher action and for an emergency to be declared across the vast Siberia region. | |
There has been widespread anger after comments by emergencies officials that they are not planning to tackle wildfires in remote uninhabited areas because there is no direct threat to people. | There has been widespread anger after comments by emergencies officials that they are not planning to tackle wildfires in remote uninhabited areas because there is no direct threat to people. |
What's the latest situation? | What's the latest situation? |
On Wednesday, President Putin ordered service personnel of the defence ministry to join in the firefighting efforts in Siberia. | On Wednesday, President Putin ordered service personnel of the defence ministry to join in the firefighting efforts in Siberia. |
Ten planes and 10 helicopters with firefighting equipment are being deployed in the region. | |
A state of emergency was earlier declared in the Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk regions, two areas of the Republic of Buryatia and one area of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). | A state of emergency was earlier declared in the Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk regions, two areas of the Republic of Buryatia and one area of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). |
On Wednesday Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev flew in to Krasnoyarsk city to chair a crisis meeting with local officials. | |
"The most important task is to prevent the fire from spreading to populated areas," he said. | |
He said everything had to be done to avoid a wildfire disaster like the one that hit Russia in 2010, when "practically the whole country was burning, and there were dozens of dead". | |
Last week, Greenpeace Russia tweeted that "big Siberian cities are covered with toxic haze that had already reached Urals". | Last week, Greenpeace Russia tweeted that "big Siberian cities are covered with toxic haze that had already reached Urals". |
The organisation estimated that 3.3 million hectares were burning across Russia, adding that this was bigger than territory of Belgium. | The organisation estimated that 3.3 million hectares were burning across Russia, adding that this was bigger than territory of Belgium. |
The acrid smoke has affected not only remote villages and small towns but major cities such as Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk. | The acrid smoke has affected not only remote villages and small towns but major cities such as Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk. |
Wildfires in Russia have been raging for weeks, caused by record high temperatures combined with lightning and strong winds. | Wildfires in Russia have been raging for weeks, caused by record high temperatures combined with lightning and strong winds. |
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