The Republic of Sacha (Yakutia) in north-eastern Siberia is the hardest hit by forest fires, with authorities saying more than ten villages are at risk. One village, where a fire destroyed dozens of houses, was evacuated on Saturday.
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Fires afflict Russian forests every year, but have intensified in recent years. The growing number of fires is usually due to the warm weather that many scientists attribute to climate change, as well as non-compliance with safety rules.
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