7 Die as Fires Rage in Swaths of Russia’s Urals

7 Die as Fires Rage in Swaths of Russia’s Urals
Russian Emergency Ministry employees and local citizens work at a side of fire in Tyumen region, Russia, in a handout photo released on May 8, 2023. Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP
Reuters
Updated:

Raging fires have consumed swaths of Russia’s Urals mountains, killing at least seven people, razing hundreds of homes, forcing evacuations and spurring investigations, officials said on Monday.

Wildfires are common in late spring and summer across Russia’s vast forests and grassy steppes, but some recent blazes have fanned suspicions of “negligence.”