An area of 3.2 million hectares (7.9 million acres) was engulfed by forest fires in remote regions of Russia on July 29. In comparison, the total surface of the nation of Belgium is 3.07 million hectares.
With fires raging for days, immense clouds of smoke reached large population centers, including Russia’s third-biggest city, Novosibirsk. Authorities declared emergencies in several regions.
