Seven dead, hundreds of homes destroyed in Siberian wildfires

Wildfires are devastating towns in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region, local emergency services have reported

At least seven people died in massive wildfires raging through parts of Siberia on Saturday, Russian media have reported, citing emergency services.

At least 17 people were reportedly injured in the fires, and 14 have been hospitalized, according to TASS news agency. Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region was also buffeted by high winds on Saturday and its capital, Krasnoyarsk, even witnessed a dust storm.

Over 480 buildings in the province have been ravaged by the fires, the regional Emergencies Ministry office told RIA news agency. Some 350 buildings have burnt to ash, Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper reported, citing the emergency services.

В районе Канска в Красноярском крае загорелись дачи, людей эвакуируют https://t.co/uZPfGawRLy pic.twitter.com/TOAgIeO7pH

— РИА Новости (@rianru) May 7, 2022

Photos and videos on social media show entire settlements engulfed in flames, as plumes of thick black smoke billow over the houses. Other images show the aftermath of the disaster, including dozens of burnt-out cars and vast territories devastated by the inferno.

???? Огненный апокалипсис в Красноярском крае — из-за лесных пожаров и пылевых бурь местные власти ввели режим ЧС и попросили жителей не покидать свои дома.
◾ Горит более 200 строений в 10 населённых пунктах.
◾ В регионе эвакуируют целые сёла. Погибли пять человек. pic.twitter.com/KkNEdliifP

— Москва 24 (@infomoscow24) May 7, 2022

Губернатор Александр Усс объявил в Красноярском крае режим чрезвычайной ситуации.
Когда число сгоревших сёл, деревень и дачных городков исчисляется уже десятками, а площади сгоревших лесов никто давно и не считает #НовостиРФZ pic.twitter.com/5XUUOiTvCm

— Vagabönd из Метавселенной ✨ (@Wild_Vagabond_) May 7, 2022

High winds have fanned the rapid spread of wildfires. According to Russian media reports, wind speeds in the Krasnoyarsk region reached 40 meters per second. Stormy weather has also reportedly damaged some power lines, causing at least some of the fires.

В Красноярском крае из-за пожаров пять человек погибли и по меньшей мере 17 человек пострадали, 11 из них госпитализированы. Сгорело 350 домов, сообщили в Рослесхозе.

Большинство пожаров в Красноярском крае возникло из-за коротких замыканий, заявили в краевом МВД pic.twitter.com/nc3qOsMEmT

— Лента.ру (@lentaruofficial) May 7, 2022

Powerful winds have also prevented the emergency services from using specialized aircraft to douse the flames, the regional Emergencies Ministry has said. 

After Krasnoyarsk was hit by a dust storm, Governor Aleksandr Uss declared a region-wide state of emergency. Over 800 firefighters with heavy equipment have been deployed to tackle the ongoing fires, according to the media. 

Пылевая буря в Красноярске.???? pic.twitter.com/DVaBXgYufA

— ARSEN (@Ars7513) May 7, 2022

Late on Saturday emergency services reported that all the fires in the region had been contained and the further spread prevented. Two dozen towns have been affected by the disaster, according to the authorities. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, but according to some media reports, at least one settlement has been turned to ash, with no building left standing.