Grassland wildfires have been raging across the Siberian Republic of Khakassia killing 23 people at last count, and seriously injuring 47. Homes in 19 different settlements have been destroyed and thousands left homeless according the Tass News Agency. The flames are being driven 20 meters per second by gusty winds according to meteorologists.
The Xinhau news agency in China has reported that the wildfires have crosses the border in China and are now surging in the region of inner Mongolia.
Reports Russian News:
The total area of forest fires in Siberia on Tuesday increased by almost half, to 14 thousand hectares, the press service of the Forestry Department of the Siberian Federal District. Fires in Eastern Russia has already spread to China.
According to the department, the fire blazing in the Trans-Baikal Territory, the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Buryatia, Tuva, and the Irkutsk region in the Altai Republic.
Emergency mode remains in effect throughout the Trans-Baikal Territory and Khakassia in four regions of Buryatia and in one area of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
In a warming world we can expect more and more wildfires. Longer and hotter summers will extend the wild fire season in many regions of the world.
Interestingly, wildfires in grasslands may become less of an issue in a warming world. Not because they will regrow after a fire as we would expect, but because intense drought will provide no fodder to burn.
The latest detected fire activity in the United States can be seen here.
High spring and summer temperatures in addition to earlier snow melt and less rainfall have catastrophe written all over it, especially for those who live in the western and southeastern states. It seems that April has become the new July. Something tells me we will not be having a pleasant summer this year.