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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Meteorologist: Russia wildfires linked to climate change

This photo taken on Monday, July 29, 2019 and released by Press Service of the Ministry of Forestry of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, shows an air view of a forest fire in the Boguchansk district of the Krasnoyarsk region, Russia Far East. Hundreds of Russian towns and cities are shrouded in heavy smoke from wildfires in Siberia and the Far East Thursday, and the blazes appear to be spreading in remote terrain. (AP)
Associated Press

MOSCOW – The head of Russia’s meteorological service says he sees global climate change as a factor behind the wildfires blazing throughout Siberia and the country’s Far East.

The total area of the blazes increased on Friday to about 12,000 square miles, according to Avialessokhrana, Russia’s aerial forest protection service. It said the wildfires weren’t being fought because they were difficult to reach.

The fires, which have cast a pall of smoke over hundreds of towns and cities, are occurring during dry conditions that weren’t expected to ease soon, even as some areas of the Far East are flooded.

Meteorological service head Maxim Yakovenko told a news conference on Friday that “The cause lies above. It’s the climate change that has already occurred.”