Wildfires in Siberia forestland

Summary:

A number of wildfires devastated Siberia's forestland during the 2019 Summer period, according to reports from July and August 2019.

Further information:

According to Greenpeace, the size of fires reached 13.1 million hectares of land. The organisation launched a petition urging Russia's government to act against the wildfires in the region, and was signed by over 800,000 people. On 31 July, Russian President Vladimir Putin called in the army to support the battle conducted by firefighters against the fire.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced on 1 August the launch of an investigation on allegations that fires had started intentionally to conceal illegal logging.

Official

Russian Presidency: News, 31/07/2019: The President instructed the Defence Ministry to assist in putting out the fires in Siberia http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/61195

NASA, 31/07/2019: Siberian Smoke Reaches U.S., Canada https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2019/siberian-smoke-reaches-us-canada

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News

Deutsche Welle, 30/07/2019: Russia declares emergency over huge wildfires in Siberia https://p.dw.com/p/3N1nK

The Guardian 31/07/2019: Putin sends military to fight Siberia forest fires https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/31/putin-sends-military-fight-siberia-forest-fires-russia

Politico, 01/08/2019: Russian Embassy: Trump offered Putin help in fighting Siberian wildfires https://www.politico.eu/article/russian-embassy-trump-offers-putin-help-in-fighting-siberian-wildfires/

BBC News, 04/08/2019: Siberia wildfires: Russians battle to contain the blazes https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49224776

Euronews, 06/08/2019: 'Low chance' Siberia wildfires will be brought under control: Greenpeace fire expert https://www.euronews.com/2019/08/06/siberian-wildfires-engulf-area-almost-the-size-belgium-as-states-of-emergency-are-declared

Reuters, 06/08/2019: Russia says Siberian wildfires started on purpose by illegal loggers https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1UW1WY

Deutsche Welle, 07/08/2019: Siberian fires continue to wreak havoc, Greenpeace calls it a 'climate catastrophe' https://p.dw.com/p/3NVot

Euronews, 08/08/2019, Two months on, Siberia's raging wildfires are visible from space https://www.euronews.com/2019/08/07/two-months-on-siberia-s-raging-wildfires-are-visible-from-space

The Guardian, 12/08/2019: Arctic wildfires spew soot and smoke cloud bigger than EU https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/12/arctic-wildfires-smoke-cloud

RFE/RL, 12/08/2019: Siberian Wildfires Set To Break Land Area Record https://www.rferl.org/a/siberian-wildfires-set-to-break-land-area-record/30106388.html

Euronews, 14/08/2019: Smoke from wildfires in Siberia 'covers an area bigger than the EU' https://www.euronews.com/2019/08/14/smoke-from-wildfires-in-siberia-covers-an-area-bigger-than-the-eu

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Commentary and Analysis

Wikipedia: 2019 Siberia wildfires https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Siberia_wildfires

Euro|topics, August 2019: Forest fires in Siberia: why Moscow dithered https://www.eurotopics.net/en/224490/forest-fires-in-siberia-why-moscow-dithered

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