The Russian Far East declared a state of emergency on Monday as summer wildfires spread across the Republic of Sakha, a region also known as Yakutia. The head of the Republic, Aisen Nikolayev, wrote on the Telegram messaging app that more than 110 forest fires were burning across 61,000 hectares (151,000 acres).

To combat the blazes, 620 personnel and 33 ground vehicles and planes were deployed in an effort to put out the fires and protect the region's population of one million. The cause of the fires is suspected to be linked to the intense heat and lightning storms that have been sweeping the region. Nikolayev noted that the situation has been made more difficult by the weather conditions.

Wildfires have been growing more frequent and intense in Russia in recent seasons, which is believed to be linked to climate change. High temperatures in Siberia have contributed to the spread of the fires, which release millions of tonnes of pollutants into the atmosphere.

The 2021 fire season in Russia has been the largest in recorded history, with 18.8 million hectares (46.5 million acres) of forest destroyed. The wildfire smoke has even reached the North Pole for the first time. The Republic of Sakha is particularly susceptible to extreme weather due to its positioning in the Arctic Ocean in the north.

In 2021, the fires set emissions records and have caused immense destruction. In an effort to address the issue, the Republic of Sakha has tripled its budget for firefighting this year. Nikolayev informed President Vladimir Putin of the action in May. Despite the efforts, the fires continue to spread and the destruction is only increasing.

Environmentalists are pushing for further measures to be taken to reduce the damage and protect the region. The state of emergency in the Republic of Sakha is a reminder of the destruction that can be caused by climate change.

Increased temperatures have led to a higher risk of wildfires and extreme weather, with millions of hectares of land being destroyed in Russia alone. As the situation worsens, it is imperative that further steps are taken to protect the region and its population.