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AT LEAST TWENTY-FIVE people have been killed in escalating forest fires in central Russia, including three firemen. Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in the worst heatwave to strike the country in over 130 years.
The fires have spread through woods scorched dry by the heatwave and have destroyed hundreds of wooden houses in the countryside.
These drivers made a lucky escape as the blaze spread across their path:
Thousands of people in Moscow have been driven to exteme measures to escape the continuing heatwave, which began over two months ago. Around 2,000 people have drowned in rivers and lakes as they attempted to cool off.
Record-breaking temperatures were reached in the capital this week, but heavy rain is forecast to fall on Moscow today which could ease the cover of smog surrounding the city and help the city to cool down.
President Medvedev has reportedly sent members of the government out to assess the areas affected by the fires. Earlier, he tweeted that the ministry of defence is being deployed to tackle the blaze.
Here are photos from the fires and the heatwave:
Cooler; a.m. rain, then clouds and sun
Max: 11 °C
Min: 1 °C
Variably cloudy, showers around; cooler
Max: 5 °C
Min: 1 °C
Some sun with a passing shower; chilly
Max: 6 °C
Min: 0 °C
