Drought Crippling Russia

[tim 360]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/06/world/europe/06russia.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

[Shadow]

Situation in various areas is indeed severe. Moscow suffers from smog due to the forest fires, the heat is not doing much to lighten this.

[ConnerVT]

Smoke has made it as far as Tver.  Visibility in Moscow has been so bad due to the smoke, that at one point the only airport open was SVO.

Other than perhaps one or two days, temps have been over 90F (and up to 100F) since I left on June 24.

[Olga_Mouse]

Today: waking up to feel the distinct smell of smoke.

Luckily I don't have lungs problems, and I don't cough like many people on the streets - but the smoke is irritating my eyes...

At noon I can hardly see the apartment block in front of mine (a few hundred meters).

The deep red sun is hardly visible on the grey skies, too.

It is half-dark at three in the afternoon, and all cars and trams are driving with their lights on...

The tenants of my summer house have called this evening to let me know that around them nothing is burning, and the house is alright.

Going to spray some water on window curtains before trying to sleep.

P.S. And just a couple of years ago, when the TV has shown fires in Spain and Greece, I was 100% sure this can NEVER, NEVER happen in Moscow! Living - learning...

P.P.S. No, it's not my eyes... the visibility is 100 meters!

http://news.mail.ru/society/4227151/

[tim 360]

Smoke and fires seem very widespread:

http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/08/06/photos-russia-fires-shrouds-moscow-in-smog/