Novorossiisk Declares State of Emergency as Wildfires Ravage Southern Russia

The city of Novorossiisk in southern Russia has declared a state of emergency due to rapidly spreading forest fires, which have already burned 22 hectares. Mayor Andrei Kravchenko detailed the use of buses for evacuation and helicopters for firefighting efforts. Other areas in the Krasnodar region are also affected.

The southern Russian city of Novorossiisk, located on the Black Sea, declared a state of emergency on Sunday as forest fires engulfed 22 hectares, according to Mayor Andrei Kravchenko. Intense heat, strong winds, and dry thunderstorms have sparked forest fires across Russia, stretching from the remote Siberian region of Tuva to Yakutia in the Far East.

Pictures published by Mayor Kravchenko revealed firefighters combating the blaze amid vast stretches of scorched earth and trees. In a statement on Telegram, Kravchenko noted that buses were ready to evacuate around 200 residents from high-risk areas, and helicopters were deployed to douse fires in mountainous terrain.

The fires have also spread throughout the broader southern Krasnodar region, a popular summer destination for Russian holidaymakers, compounding the emergency situation.

(With inputs from agencies.)