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Marc Di Duca

Apocalypse in Yakutia, Russia’s coldest region, as noxious smog from wildfires blocks sun

By The Siberian Times reporter

02 August 2021

Day turns into night and thick rain of ashes pours from sky in videos shared by residents.

Day turned into night earlier today in several areas of Yakutia, with the sky turning orange and red and the Sun getting completely blocked by smog

Devastating scenes of dark-red skies, and the Sun completely blocked by smog from wildfires are coming today from the Republic of Sakha.

Russia’s largest territory, used to be known as the Kingdom of Permafrost is turning into the Capital of Wildfires with this summer catastrophic forest infernos engulfing two million hectares of territory.

Residents of Yakutsk, the world’s largest city built on permafrost, have spent weeks suffocating in poisonous smog brought by the fires.

People living in settlements east, west and north of the capital complain of struggling to breathe.

Day turned into night earlier today in several areas of Yakutia, with the sky turning orange and red and the Sun getting completely blocked by smog

New videos filmed earlier today in Kobyaysky, Vilyuysky and Nyurbinsky districts (west and north-west of Yakutsk) looked more like scenes from horror movies, with daylight turning black and red, and ash raining from the sky.

Several fire-extinguishing planes due for a busy working day could not take off from the Mirny airdrome in the west of Yakutia due to low visibility.

Mirny, one of Russia’s key diamond-mining towns, has been blanketed by thick smog since early this morning.

‘We don’t remember the situation ever being so bad’, said residents of the village of Kobyai who also reported blackouts and ash rains.

Apocalypse in Yakutia, Russia’s coldest region, as noxious smog from wildfires blocks sun

Apocalypse in Yakutia, Russia’s coldest region, as noxious smog from wildfires blocks sun
Wildfires catastrophe in Yakutia; Russia's coldest territory have been battling wildfires since early May 2021

Brown bears are pushed out of their natural habitat by raging wildfires; local drivers share videos of brown bear families begging for food along the roads. No estimate yet on the damage to other wildlife has been given.

More than two thousand people are working on fighting the fires in the Republic, the local government said.

The first wildfires were recorded as early as 4 May 2021.

The situation got significantly worse during June, which was also the hottest and the driest month in Yakutia since records began at the end of the 19th century.

Pictures below show the Mirny airdrome in western Yakutia, with several firefighting planes grounded because of poor visibility; brown bears pictured begging for food on roads of Yakutia; satellite images processed by Pierre Markuse and Adam platform show devastating effect of wildfires in Yakutia Apocalypse in Yakutia, Russia’s coldest region, as noxious smog from wildfires blocks sun

Apocalypse in Yakutia, Russia’s coldest region, as noxious smog from wildfires blocks sun

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Horrifying images, hope our own Governor sees these.

Wildfire+pandemic(s) are potentially catastrophic,

Chris, Washington, USA

08/10/2021 02:11

Heartbreaking to see Siberia on fire and so widespread. America has similar fires in CA right now which seem to bring annual devastation to the west coast. But Siberia is equally beautiful and wild and full of wildlife that is at risk. The biggest news is the warming of the permafrost will lead to permanent changes to Siberia and not for the better. Thanks again ST, for another insightful article and captivating pictures.

Chad, USA

18/08/2021 07:16

Hi... so, fire on ice came

Aline Sanchez Ramirez Baruchi , São Paulo, Brazil

13/08/2021 08:10

While the economy is important no country should let the burden of climate change on others, especially when, at least at the beginning, it would mostly affect countries that contributed the least to this situation.
Historically, the developed countries are responsible for most CO2 in the atmosphere. China is now the biggest emitter, but per capita it's still half of US. While China is responsible for a lot of the current emissions and it benefits from them, at the same time we should not forget that it is also the 'factory of the world', so all the countries that exported their industries there and now are importing cheap products should share a part of China's emissions.
Russia might be one of the countries less affected by climate change, for example it might consider that with warmer climate there could be more land for agriculture, but I wouldn't bet on it. Anyway, getting away from hydrocarbons should be an honest global effort, although I'm skeptic it will happen soon enough.

Cristi, Bucharest/Romania

11/08/2021 21:49

You have the same problem as the USA: Fracturing for oil that leaves rock shattered and free to leak methane into the atmosphere changing your local climate. But no oil, no Russian economy; so there is no stopping the continued adding of this powerful accelerant to the already burgeoning CO2 content of the Siberian troposphere. I applaud Putin's ousting of the Corponationals that were ransacking Russian resources, but the long-term pain in store from the short-term gain bestowed by hydraulic fracturing I fear will be severe ... already is in fact, and that pain will radiate outward like any untreated infection.

robert lowrey, san francisco, ca

05/08/2021 01:13