230 wildfires rage in Russia’s coldest republic of Yakutia, with state of emergency declared in Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk regions.
Fires have wreaked havoc this summer with Yakutia and the Yamalo-Nenets autonomous the latest to be hard hit.
Russia’s coldest region struggles to tame fires intensified by lengthy heatwave in extreme north.
Greenpeace claim authorities underestimate the scale of destruction, amid warnings of lack of resources to fight fires.
Locals in north of Yakutia said daylight was completely gone for several hours.
Yakutsk, currently hosting the Children of Asia International sports games was forced to halt arrivals and departures.
Residents of sub-Arctic Verkhoyansk district of Yakutia woke up in complete darkness.
People evacuated after thunderstorms-with-no-rain ignite foliage and forests.
Worrying videos and pictures show how the pristine polar region of northern Yakutia is ablaze.
Destruction of trees by flames could see Batagai Depression ‘rapidly enlarge’ while remote local settlements also threatened.