Wildfires Rage Through Russia

Aug. 13: A volunteer tries to extinguish a forest fire burning near the village of Kovrigino, about 45 miles east of Moscow. (AP)

Aug. 12:  Volunteers from Moscow try to extinguish a forest fire near the Russian village of Kovrigino, some 45 miles east of Moscow. (AP)

Aug. 13: A volunteer from tries to extinguish forest fire that came close to the Russian village of Kovrigino. (AP)

August 12: Firefighter stands amidst heavy smog as wildfires burn in the background, outside the town of Shatura, some 110 km (68 miles) southeast of Moscow. President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday cancelled a state of emergency in three out of seven Russian regions affected by forest fires as the situation there had improved significantly. (Reuters )

August 12: An OMON, riot police officer, foreground, and Russian Army paratroopers, background, unload a truck with humanitarian help, canned beans, sent by Russian Orthodox church to people suffered from wildfires in the village of Laskovoye in Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow, on Thursday. Hundreds of wildfires sparked by the hottest summer ever in Russia have engulfed large areas. (AP)

August 10: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin climbs into an Emergencies Ministry amphibian multi-role jet to drop water over forest fires in Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow, on Tuesday. Putin joined the crew of a firefighting airplane Tuesday and helped put out two of the hundreds of wildfires that are sweeping western Russia and cloaking Moscow in suffocating smog. (AP)

August 10: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin looks through a blister window of an Emergencies Ministry's amphibian multi-role jet to drop water over the forest fires in Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow, on Tuesday. Putin joined the crew of a firefighting airplane Tuesday to observe putting out two of the hundreds of wildfires that are sweeping western Russia and cloaking Moscow in suffocating smog (AP)

August 9: Tourists with face masks walk along Red Square in a thick blanket of smog, in Moscow, Russia, on Monda with St. Basil's Cathedral at the background. The Russian capital's chief health official reportedly says the number of deaths in Moscow is twice as high as usual because of smog suffocating the city from ongoing wildfires nearby. The Interfax news agency quotes Andrei Seltsovky on Monday as saying there are now 1,300 bodies in city morgues, which have a 1,500 capacity. (AP )

August 9: Tourists with face masks walk along Red Square in a thick blanket of smog, in Moscow, Russia, on  Monday with St. Basil's Cathedral at the background. The Russian capital's chief health official reportedly says the number of deaths in Moscow is twice as high as usual because of smog suffocating the city from ongoing wildfires nearby. The Interfax news agency quotes Andrei Seltsovky on Monday as saying there are now 1,300 bodies in city morgues, which have a 1,500 capacity. (AP)

Tourists with face masks walk along Red Square in a thick blanket of smog, in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 9, 2010. The Russian capital's chief health official reportedly says the number of deaths in Moscow is twice as high as usual because of smog suffocating the city from ongoing wildfires nearby. The Interfax news agency quotes Andrei Seltsovky on Monday as saying there are now 1,300 bodies in city morgues, which have a 1,500 capacity. (AP)

Young American tourists brave the thick blanket of smog covering Moscow as they visit the Red Square, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010, with St,Basil's cathedral in the background. A suffocating smog from wildfires hung over the Russian capital, raising the concentration of dangerous pollutants to an unprecedented new high as exasperated residents donned masks and dozens of flights were delayed or diverted at the city's airports. (AP)

In this photo taken on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010, a newly married couple share a tender moment despite the deep layer of smog from wildfires covering the ancient Russian city of Ryazan, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow. Nearly 600 separate blazes were burning nationwide Saturday, mainly across western Russia, according to the Emergencies Ministry, which said that the area affected had increased over the past 24 hours. Hundreds of forest and peat bog fires have ignited amid the country's most intense heat wave in 130 years of record-keeping.  (AP)

The thick smog partly covers sun the sun seen above Moscow, Russia, early afternoon Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010. The thick haze has hung over Moscow for the second straight day Saturday as south-eastern winds blew smoke from the areas worst affected peat bog and forest fires. (AP)

St. Basil's Cathedral, left, and the Kremlin, right, are seen as tourists walk through thick smog on the Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Aug. 6, 2010. The city of Moscow was shrouded Friday by a dense smog that grounded flights at international airports and seeped into homes and offices, as wildfires that have killed 50 people nationwide continued to burn. (AP)

People try to escape from the heat and thick smog while splashing in the Moskva River at Serebryany Bor, a popular beach in the western outskirts of the Russian capital Moscow, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010. The thick haze has hung over Moscow for the second straight day Saturday as south-eastern winds blew smoke from the areas worst affected peat bog and forest fires. Meanwhile the temperatures in the Russian capital reached 37 C (98 F) , amid the country's most intense heat wave in 130 years. (AP)

Moscow's Kremlin and river boats on the Moskva River are seen through the heavy smog covering Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 9, 2010. Deaths in Moscow have doubled and are now averaging 700 people a day amid a sweltering heat wave and poisonous smog from wildfires, a top Russian health official said Monday. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze) (AP)

Stranded passengers, whose flights were delayed due to the thick blanket of smog covering the Russian capital, wait in the terminal of Moscow Domodedovo airport, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010. Moscow airports reported delays or diversions of some 90 flights Sunday due to low visibility. (AP)

Alexander, 26, collects potatoes in the garden of his house that was burned to the ground fire at the village of Peredeltsi that was burned to the ground by a wildfire in Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow, Friday, Aug. 6, 2010. More than 500 separate blazes were burning nationwide Friday mainly across western Russia, amid the country's most intense heat wave in 130 years. (AP)

In this photo taken on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010, a firefighter works to extinguish a forest fire near the village of Verkhnyaya Vereya in Nizhny Novgorod region, some 410 km (255 miles) east of Moscow. Nearly 600 separate blazes were burning nationwide Saturday, mainly across western Russia, according to the Emergencies Ministry, which said that the area affected had increased over the past 24 hours. Hundreds of forest and peat bog fires have ignited amid the country's most intense heat wave in 130 years of record-keeping. (AP)

A Russian Emergency Ministry's' Mi-26 heavy helicopter spews water onto a burning forest near the village of Plotava, 80 km (49 miles) east of Moscow, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010. Temperatures up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) have exacerbated forest and peat bog fires across Russia's central and western regions, destroying close to 2,000 homes. Officials have suggested the 10,000 firefighters battling the blazes aren't enough to go around. (AP)

In this photo taken on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010, a firefighter tries to stop a forest fire near the village of Verkhnyaya Vereya in Nizhny Novgorod region, some 410 km (255 miles) east of Moscow. Nearly 600 separate blazes were burning nationwide Saturday, mainly across western Russia, according to the Emergencies Ministry, which said that the area affected had increased over the past 24 hours. Hundreds of forest and peat bog fires have ignited amid the country's most intense heat wave in 130 years of record-keeping. (AP)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin shakes hands with a fire fighter in a burned forest at Voronezh region on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010. Wildfires have wiped out Russian forests, villages and a military base sent the thickest blanket of smog yet over Moscow. (AP)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, left, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meeting in Moscow, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010, to discuss the ongoing firefighting efforts. Temperatures up to 100 F (38 C) have exacerbated forest and peat bog fires across Russia's central and western regions, destroying close to 2,000 homes. Officials have suggested the 10,000 firefighters battling the blazes aren't enough. The forecast for the week ahead shows little change in the capital and surrounding regions, where the average summer temperature is around 23 (75). (AP)

In this Thursday evening, Aug. 5, 2010 photo, Russian fire fighter takes a short break as forest fire came very close to the village of Murmino in Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow. Temperatures up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) have exacerbated forest and peat bog fires across Russia's central and western regions, destroying close to 2,000 homes. Officials have suggested the 10,000 firefighters battling the blazes aren't enough to go around. (AP)

Local citizens attempt to extinguish a forest fire near the village of Dolginino in the Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010. Over the last 24 hours, firefighters have extinguished 293 fires, but 403 others have been spotted while more than 500 have continued to rage over large swathes of countryside, some of them out of control, the Emergencies Ministry said. (AP)

Local citizens attempt to extinguish a forest fire near the village of Dolginino in the Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010. Over the last 24 hours, firefighters have extinguished 293 fires, but 403 others have been spotted while more than 500 have continued to rage over large swathes of countryside, some of them out of control, the Emergencies Ministry said. (AP)

A fire fighter attempts to extinguish a forest fire near the village of Dolginino in the Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010. Over the last 24 hours, firefighters have extinguished 293 fires, but 403 others have been spotted while more than 500 have continued to rage over large swathes of countryside, some of them out of control, the Emergencies Ministry said. (AP)

In this Wednesday Aug. 4, 2010 file photo a fire fighter attempts to extinguish a forest fire near the village of Dolginino in the Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow.  (AP)

Firefighters try to stop the wildfire spreading near the village of Murmino in Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow, Friday, Aug. 6, 2010. More than 500 separate blazes were burning nationwide Friday mainly across western Russia, amid the country's most intense heat wave in 130 years. (AP)

A fire fighter attempts to extinguish a forest fire near the village of Dolginino in the Ryazan region, some 180 km (111 miles) southeast of Moscow, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010. Over the last 24 hours, firefighters have extinguished 293 fires, but 403 others have been spotted while more than 500 have continued to rage over large swathes of countryside, some of them out of control, the Emergencies Ministry said. (AP)

Dry grass burning near the town of Voronezh some 500 km (294 miles) South of Moscow, Saturday, July 31, 2010. The fires have spread quickly across more than 200,000 acres (90,000 hectares) in recent days after a record heat wave and severe drought that has plagued Russia for weeks. (AP)

In this photo taken on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010 a forest fire spreads near the village of Verkhnyaya Vereya in Nizhny Novgorod region, some 410 km (255 miles) east of Moscow. Nearly 600 separate blazes were burning nationwide Saturday, mainly across western Russia, according to the Emergencies Ministry, which said that the area affected had increased over the past 24 hours. Hundreds of forest and peat bog fires have ignited amid the country's most intense heat wave in 130 years of record-keeping. (AP)

Flames travel along the floor of a forest as a parched forest burns near a suburb of the town of Voronezh some 500 km (294 miles) south of Moscow, Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010. Hundreds of new fires broke out Sunday in Russian forests and fields that have been dried to a crisp by drought and record heat. (AP)

People crowd near a fountain at the Alexandrovsky (Alexander's) Garden just outside the Moscow Kremlin, Tuesday, July 27, 2010. A heat wave hit central Russia breaking temperature records going higher than 30 C (86 F) for four weeks breaking all records for the last 130 years. (AP)

View of the Moscow's Central Telegraph facade with its thermometer indicating 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. A state emblem of the Soviet Union is seen above the thermometer. Poisonous smog from peat bog fires has shrouded Moscow, prompting health officials to urge residents to lock themselves indoors as the city swelters in a record heatwave. (AP)

Flames travel along the floor of a forest as a parched forest burns near a suburb of the town of Voronezh some 500 km (294 miles) south of Moscow, Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010. Hundreds of new fires broke out Sunday in Russian forests and fields that have been dried to a crisp by drought and record heat. (AP)

People crowd near a fountain at the Alexandrovsky (Alexander's) Garden just outside the Moscow Kremlin, Tuesday, July 27, 2010. A heat wave hit central Russia breaking temperature records going higher than 30 C (86 F) for four weeks breaking all records for the last 130 years. (AP)

View of the Moscow's Central Telegraph facade with its thermometer indicating 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. A state emblem of the Soviet Union is seen above the thermometer. Poisonous smog from peat bog fires has shrouded Moscow, prompting health officials to urge residents to lock themselves indoors as the city swelters in a record heatwave. (AP)