The death toll from the worst wildfires in Russia's history now stands at 50 people.
There are now 589 wildfires burning in Russia covering an area of 196,000 hectares. The total area burning increased by around 7,000 hectares to 196,000 hectares.
Officials say that new fires are appearing faster than the emergency services can put out the old ones.
In the last 24 hours, 373 fires have appeared and 254 have been extinguished.
There are now 589 wildfires burning in Russia covering an area of 196,000 hectares. The total area burning has increased by around 7,000 hectares to 196,000 hectares.
162,000 emergency workers have been deployed to fight the fires.
There is no sign yet of the heatwave abating, with temperatures again forecast to hit 40C in Moscow today and the hot weather expected to last at least another five days.
Authorities have also deployed thousands of workers to prevent an even greater calamity as wildfires raged within a few kilometres of the country's top secret nuclear research facility in Sarov, a city closed to foreigners.
Officials insist all dangerous nuclear materials have been moved away. 'The situation is under control,' the Interfax news agency quoted an official as saying.
Meanwhile, President Dimitry Medvedev has warned Russia's top two naval commanders and sacked a number of high-ranking officers for failing to prevent a wildfire spreading to a military base last week.
Fires ripped through a naval logistics base southeast of Moscow, destroying the staff headquarters, financial department, 13 warehouses containing aeronautical equipment and 17 storage areas containing vehicles.
The investigative committee of prosecutors said that it had opened a criminal inquiry into 'major damage through negligence' over the spreading of the fire to the military base.
