Wildfires in Krasnoyarsk Krai Spread to Nearly 174,000 Hectares

The area affected by forest fires in Russia's Krasnoyarsk Krai has grown by nearly 6,000 hectares in the past 24 hours, reaching a total of 173,692.7 hectares as of June 22, 2026. According to the regional Forest Fire Center, 89 active fires are burning across the northern part of the region, with the most severe conditions reported in the Yenisei district.

Despite the scale of the fires, authorities have stated there is no threat to populated areas. A state of emergency in forests has been in effect in Krasnoyarsk Krai since June 10, restricting public access and prohibiting open fires, waste burning, and other fire-hazardous activities. Violators face administrative and criminal penalties.

Firefighting efforts involve 1,478 personnel and 22 pieces of equipment, including over 700 aerial firefighters from federal and regional branches of Avialesookhrana, as well as 40 ground-based forestry firefighters from Irkutsk Region. In addition to standard containment measures, crews have conducted explosive operations to create mineralized firebreaks and have used aircraft to seed clouds for artificial precipitation.

The majority of fires were ignited by dry thunderstorms, but their rapid spread has been exacerbated by forests damaged by the Siberian silk moth, which left large accumulations of dead, dry timber. The Yenisei district has been particularly affected by these so-called "silk moth zones," where fires advance with high intensity even in light winds.