Putin demands action on Siberia forest fires threatening lives and economy

A view shows the ruins of a burned building in the town of Nazyvayevsk, as a state of emergency has been declared in the Omsk region due to wildfires, Russia May 6, 2022. REUTERS/Alexey Malgavko


LONDON (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin told regional officials on Tuesday to deal with forest fires in Siberia and said there could be no repeat of last year's fire season, the worst on record.

In an online meeting shown on state TV, Putin said the blazes were causing significant material damage and posing a threat to life, the environment and the economy.