With Siberia in flames, climate change hits home for Russia

Siberia is burning.

Russia’s enormous but sparsely populated Asian landmass is experiencing record-breaking temperatures, the fifth year in a row it has done so.

But this year has brought unprecedented forest fires that have devastated a territory the size of the state of Washington, and blanketed vast areas with thick air pollution. Cities that have seldom seen summer temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit have been sweltering under a hot season that began a month early this year, and has been consistently delivering daily temperatures several degrees above average.

Scientists say Siberia is warming at twice the global average – leading to extreme weather events, severe environmental deterioration, and serious

“Unprecedented” phenomena“We have been warning about this”“A lack of official responsibility”