Residents complain of 'severe carbon monoxide poisoning' as satellite images show blanket of smoke across eastern Siberia.
Six infernos ravaging the region's nature have been extinguished in the past 24 hours, it is reported.
Hundreds - including dozens of children - evacuated safely as fires destroy and threaten homes.
Victims burned to death while fighting blaze after three massive explosions.
Greenpeace claim authorities underestimate the scale of destruction, amid warnings of lack of resources to fight fires.
'All forest wildfires extinguished' in Siberian Federal District, say officials, but peat flames still raging.
Ecology groups warn that the extent of fires in forests and taiga has been misreported by up to 159 times compared with satellite evidence of the grim facts.
Say that again? The Arctic on fire?
Oilmen forced to stop work after being trapped in 'horseshoe' of burning taiga, as pall of smoke smothers Irkutsk region where state of emergency imposed.
After a month of warm, dry weather and wildfires, the huge crater nicknamed ‘Mouth of Hell’ is now under direct threat.