Siberians unite to battle fires amid government's slow response
Siberia is once again grappling with a wave of fires, affecting the region's residents. In the absence of support from the authorities, Russians are trying to save their homes and belongings by themselves.
April brought hurricanes to Siberia, impacting areas including Kuzbass, the Altai Republic, Khakassia, Novosibirsk, and Irkutsk. According to the Onet service, strong winds caused power and water outages, as well as dust storms that worsened the fires. Remembering the tragedy of 2015, residents are banding together to fight the elements.
Many residents, like Valentina, have lost their homes. A fire that started at a neighbour's quickly spread to her property. "We saw a large ember or flame flying — the house went up in flames," she recounted, as quoted by Onet. The fire department arrived late and without water, making it impossible to extinguish the fire effectively. Valentina's family lost everything they had recently renovated.
Oksana, another resident, recalls the dramatic moments when her house caught fire. "When I ran out to the street, everything was in flames, the dog was barking desperately — it died in its kennel in front of my children's eyes," she recounts.
Authorities promise help but do not act
The authorities promise financial support for the victims, but residents are unsure if they will receive it. Valentina fears that her husband's high earnings might be the reason for denying compensation. She reported that she went to the mayor's office, and officials promised to provide temporary housing, but as she added, "there are no such apartments yet."
In the absence of support from the authorities, residents are organizing themselves. Vladimir, one of the victims, describes how over 100 people from nearby villages came to help put out the fires. "People have become aware of this. They don't expect someone else to come. Everyone takes whatever they can, any improvised equipment, even empty buckets," his words are quoted by Onet.
Despite the difficult conditions, Siberian residents demonstrate extraordinary solidarity and determination in battling the elements. The authorities in Khakassia assure that the situation is under control, but the residents know that they can primarily rely on themselves.
