Publication Date August 3, 2010 | Bloomberg

Wildfires Kill 40 Russians; 58 Drown Amid Heat Wave

Russia
Regions with wildfire spreading on 31 July. Photo: Arno Lagrange
Regions with wildfire spreading on 31 July. Photo: Arno Lagrange

Forty Russians have died to date as wildfires rage in central Russia, while 58 drowned in the last 24 hours trying to escape a heat wave that has scorched crops and driven grain prices higher...“This is the first time in 50 years we’ve seen the combination of such a long period of abnormal heat and both atmospheric and soil drought,” the Hydrometeorological Center said. Russia’s Grain Union has said the drought is the worst since record-keeping started 130 years ago.