Russian Wildfires

Tourists walk along the Red Square, with the St. Basil's Cathedral, left, and the Kremlin, right, at the background on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010, after a week of smog and smoke from burning forests around the city. The sky over the city has cleared after the wind changed its prevailing direction.

Unidentified Bulgarian fire fighters hose water onto smoldering tree trunks in a forest in the Noginsk district east of Moscow, Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010, to prevent resumption of fire. Hundreds of forest and peat bog fires have ignited amid the country's most intense heat wave in 130 years of record-keeping.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is reflected in screens on the control board as he sits in the co-pilot's seat at a cockpit of an Emergencies Ministry amphibian multi-role jet flying to drop water over forest fires in the Ryazan region, Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010. Putin joined the crew of a firefighting airplane Tuesday to observe and helped put out two of the hundreds of wildfires that are sweeping western Russia and cloaking Moscow in suffocating smog.

A monument to Peter the Great, left, and a river boat on the Moskva River are barely seen through the heavy smog covering Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 9, 2010. Deaths in Moscow have doubled and are now averaging 700 people a day amid a sweltering heat wave and poisonous smog from wildfires, according a top Russian health official.

People rest on the Manezhaya Square just outside the Moscow Kremlin, Monday, Aug. 9, 2010, enjoying the brief respite from the smog due to a change in the wind direction. Deaths in Moscow have doubled to an average of 700 people a day as the Russian capital is engulfed by poisonous smog from wildfires and a sweltering heat wave. A top health official said Monday, as acrid smog blanketed the city for a six straight day Monday, with concentrations of carbon monoxide and other poisonous substances two to three times higher than what is considered safe.

Russian firefighters spray water on a a forest blaze in the the village of Murmino on Aug. 5, 2010. Russia waged a losing battle this week to contain the worst wildfires in its modern history that have killed at least 50 people.

An off-duty soldier from the Kremlin guard regiment wipes sweat off the face of a compatriot on duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow on August 6, 2010. Smog from wildfires in the countryside cloaked Moscow, with the levels of toxic particles, raising alarm over public health and numerous commuters wearing anti-pollution masks.

A Russian couple has a conversation while wearing face masks to protect themselves from forest-fire smog in central Moscow on Aug. 6, 2010. Smog from wildfires in the countryside cloaked Moscow, with the dangerous levels of toxic particles.

A backhoe tears down the charred wall of a burnt-out home in Voronezh on Aug. 5, 2010. Russia struggled to contain the worst wildfires in its modern history.

Olga Ivanova cleans up debris from the charred remains of burnt-out homes in the village of Peredeltsy on Aug. 5, 2010. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin banned grain exports due to the drought and fires.

A Russian tries to stop fire near the village Golovanovo, Ryazan region, on Aug. 5, 2010. New fires were appearing faster than the emergency services could put out the old ones as the total affected area nationwide increased by to about 482,000 acres.

A Russian tries to stop fire near the village of Murmino on Aug. 5, 2010.

Russian man picks through the charred carcass of a building south of Moscow in Izlegoshche on Aug. 6, 2010. The village of Izlegoshche was completely destroyed by Russia's worst ever wildfires and will not be rebuilt according to an administrative decision.

A Russian rides a motorcycle in the village of Kriusha, Ryazan region, on Aug. 5, 2010.

South African President Jacob Zuma lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow on Aug. 6, 2010. Zuma continued his diplomatic visit as smog from wildfires in the countryside cloaked Moscow,raising alarm over public health.

A Russian tries to stop fire near the village of Murmino on Aug. 5, 2010.

People pray in the village of Kriusha, Ryazan region, on Aug. 5, 2010, as Russia struggled to contain the worst wildfires in its modern history.

Russians and tourists wear facemasks to protect themselves from forest fire smog while walking on Red Square in Moscow on Aug. 6, 2010. Smog from wildfires in the countryside cloaked Moscow with dangerous levels of toxic particles.

Russian firefighter is seen near the village of Murmino on Aug. 5, 2010.

A masked man walks past homes destroyed in a fire, in Peredeltsy, southeast of Moscow, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010. Russia is suffering through its worst heat wave on record, a condition that has sparked forest and peat fires across its central and western regions that have killed at least 48 people in the past week.

Moscow Engulfed by Smog as Russia Wildfires Rage