Death toll rises as hundreds of new Russian fires break out

THE death toll from fires raging across Russia rose to 40 yesterday, as millions in Moscow dealt with smoke haze.

The fires came after weeks of searing heat and practically no rain. Although temperatures in the Moscow area dipped over the weekend, experts predict they will climb back to around 38C this week.

Firefighters made some headway against the blazes that have destroyed hundreds of homes, burned through vast sections of tinder-dry land and forced thousands to evacuate, Vladimir Stepanov, head of Russia’s Emergencies Ministry’s crisis centre said.