ABC News: Forest fires sweeping across eastern Russia have killed at least 25 people and the forced the evacuation of thousands in the hottest weather since records began 130 years ago.
Fanned by strong winds, fires ripped through woods and fields that have been scorched for weeks by a heatwave, incinerating hundreds of wooden houses.
"We don't know where to go," said Galina Shibanova, 52, standing outside her burning home in the town of Maslovka in the Voronezh region, about 500 kilometres south of Moscow.
"We called the emergency services, and not one person answered the phone," said Ms Shibanova.
Igor Vlasnev, head of the Voronezh region fire services, said the situation was expected to worsen on Saturday because of rising temperatures.
"Everyone is waiting, and wishing, for rain," he said.
"The forecast for tomorrow is that the situation will worsen both in terms of temperature and wind conditions, which are expected to change (on Saturday night)."
Russia has been sweltering since June in a heatwave that has destroyed crops and pushed thousands of farmers to the verge of bankruptcy. >>> Reuters | Saturday, July 31, 2010
