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Russian WildfireThis story is part of a special series that explores the global water crisis. For more, visit National Geographic's Freshwater website.About 111 miles (180 kilometers) southeast of Moscow, locals try to extinguish a forest fire near the village of Dolginino, Russia, last Wednesday.As of Tuesday, professional firefighters were combating 557 wildfires over a 670-square-mile (1,740-square-kilometer), Russia's Emergencies Ministry said, according to Reuters.The fires are stoked by an ongoing drought and the worst heat wave in Russian memory. Around Moscow, choked with fire-related smog, temperatures have hovered around 100 degrees F (38 degrees C) for weeks and show no sign of letting up soon, according to the Bloomberg news agency.
Photograph from AP

Wildfire Pictures: Russia Burns, Moscow Chokes

The worst known Russian heat wave is fueling hundreds of fires across the country and driving up Moscow's death rate. See just how bad it is.

August 11, 2010

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