Every year in Russia around 5 to 6 million hectares of forest burn. In 2016 it has been about 8-9 million hectares. Forest fires are destroying one of the largest forested regions in the world – the Russian Taiga. The forests here are one of the most 'biologically outstanding' places on our planet. It is home to a range of species – from wolves and brown bears to golden eagles and Siberian accentors.
Forest fires release massive amounts of carbon. This fuels climate change, which makes the consequences of the fires even worse, threatening communities around the world.