Moscow Newspaper English

Moscow Newspaper English

Moscow Newspaper English

It has been some forty years since fires as deadly as this have raged through Russia and the 52 dead are a grim testament to that. As of Thursday, August 6 2010 there have been some 800 fires - as many as 200 of those now out - during Russia's worst heat wave since record keeping began 130 years ago.

Missiles from a base near Moscow, some reports said nuclear, were moved to ensure they would not be caught up in a blaze.

The English-language Moscow Times reported Thursday that six countries, five former soviet republics along with Italy, sent help to control and extinguish blazes. Help included firetrucks, personnel and even aircraft, with at least Italy and the Ukraine sending jets. Four other countries, Germany, France, Poland and Bulgaria, have also offered to aid Russia.