Siberia wildfires under investigation
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Russia’s military is assisting firefighting efforts as wildfires spread across Siberia. Police are investigating whether the fires were started deliberately to conceal illegal logging activity
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SIBERIA
Chita
MONGOLIA
JAPAN
RUSSIA
Moscow
KAZAKHSTAN
CHINA
Krasnoyarsk 
Novosibirsk

 800km 500 miles
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State of emergency declared in regions of Krasnoyarsk (1), Irkutsk (2), Buryatia (3) and Sakha (Yakutia) (4)
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Wildfires cover more than three million hectares – area as big as Belgium
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President Vladimir Putin has ordered in 10 army transport planes and 10 helicopters
to battle blazes
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Acrid smoke also affecting large cities such as Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Chita
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Regional authorities say fires caused by record high temperatures combined with lightning and strong winds
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Greenpeace says fires are “ecological catastrophe”. Many Russians calling for authorities to take tougher action
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Sources: Reuters, BBC, Federal Forestry Agency Picture: Associated Press © GRAPHIC NEWS