Every summer its the same situation. The peat bogs are burning outside of Moscow and the smoke moves into the city. Last year was extreme, combined with the wildfires and the extreme heat. ITAR-Tass reported yesterday that there are 3 peat bogs still (or again) smoldering (beneath the surface). Its hard to understand after all the snow and one should think that the spring melt water and recent rain would help extinguish.
This is a sad reminder about last years fires and a warning towards the upcoming summer. The photo was taken from the train between Ryzan and Moscow. Lots of the woods out there are burned, some parts completely destroyed. Notice how all the lower parts of the trees are black, burned. Many trees are dead already.
What is peat (turf) and why are the fires so bad? Wikipedia has an answer…
