Rain refreshes Moscow, but wildfires still burning

Moscow: Heavy downpours have cooled the Russian capital after weeks of unprecedented heat and dry weather, but dozens of wildfires are still raging around Moscow.
The city on Friday remains largely free of clouds of suffocating smog after they were blown away by favourable winds earlier this week. Weather experts say, however, that smoke from burning forests and peat bogs may again choke the city later in the day after winds change their direction.
Russia`s Emergency Situations Ministry says its teams have managed to reduce the area covered by wildfires, but more than 500 are continuing to burn across the country, including 29 around Moscow. It said about 14,000 firefighters are battling blazes around the Russian capital.

Bureau Report