More than 3 million hectares of forest have burned in Russia since the beginning of 2026: half a million in just five days.
The area of forest fires in Russia is growing rapidly: since the beginning of 2026, fires have already burned through 3,001 million hectares. Just five days ago, this figure was 2,5 million ha. According to According to the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Avialesokhrana," 7,149 forest fires have been registered in the country since the beginning of the year, and 239 of them are currently being extinguished.
Regional situation: where the fires are the worst
In particular, the Far Eastern Federal District remains the leader in terms of fire area. Since the beginning of the year, 1,875 fires have been recorded there, covering 1,858 million hectares, accounting for more than 61% of the national total. As a result, the majority of active fires were concentrated in Yakutia (8 major fires covering 95,300 hectares) and Khabarovsk Krai (10 fires covering 5,200 hectares).
However, the Siberian Federal District leads in the number of fires, with 2,793 fires registered over an area of 982,100 hectares [cite: 1]. As a result, the main burden fell on Krasnoyarsk Krai, where 86 active fires are being extinguished over 44,400 hectares, as well as Tomsk Oblast, with 33 outbreaks over 8,400 hectares.
Threat to nature reserves and endangered animals
In addition, in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, rescuers have been working for several days now fails extinguish a 50-hectare fire in the Yugansk State Nature Reserve. This protected area is home to approximately 200 red-listed reindeer.