Four die in new Russia fires

A new outbreak of forest fires in Russia has killed four people in the south of the country.

Forest fires plagued much of Russia during this summer’s heatwave cloaking Moscow in a pall of smoke in August.

The emergencies ministry said new fires in the Volgograd and Saratov regions flared up over the past day in more than 25 populated areas killing four people and injuring 18.

Some of the fires were sparked by high winds that caused power lines to cross, creating short circuits, the statement said.

Most of the fires had been put out by this morning, the ministry said.