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May 25, 2025 - Fires Continue to Scorch Russia's Far East
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As soon as snow melted from Russia’s Zabaykal’skiy Kray in mid-March 2025, satellites began detecting large numbers of wildland fires burning in the grasslands and forests surrounding Chita, the territory’s capital. Two months later, fires continued to rage around the city.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of smoke streaming from multiple fires near Chita on May 22, 2025. The city, a stop along the Trans-Siberian Railway, has a population of about 350,000. News reports indicate that fires were active on the city’s outskirts on May 20 and were edging closer to the city center as firefighters worked amid dry, windy conditions.
On May 20, 2025, Russia’s Aerial Protection Service reported 49 fires burning across nearly 700,000 hectares (2,700 square miles) in six regions of the country. Thirty-three fires were in Zabaykal’skiy Krai (also called Transbaikal) and nine in the Republic of Buryatiya, both of which border Mongolia. Russian officials reported deploying 2,700 personnel and 13 aircraft to fight the fires, including more than 1,000 paratroopers and airborne troops in Zabaykal’skiy.
On May 24, the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) reported that 9,690 hectares had burned in Buryatia and Zabaykal’skiy over the previous seven days. GDACS also estimates that the potential impacted population to be as many as 1.1 million in Buryatia alone. Impacts may include smoke, threat of damage to buildings and property by flames, or other affiliated effects. Both Buryatia and Zabaykal’skiy Krai are located in the Russian Far East, with Buryatia adjacent to and west of Zabaykal’skiy.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 5/22/2025
Resolutions:
1km (472.5 KB), 500m (1.4 MB), 250m (4 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
As soon as snow melted from Russia’s Zabaykal’skiy Kray in mid-March 2025, satellites began detecting large numbers of wildland fires burning in the grasslands and forests surrounding Chita, the territory’s capital. Two months later, fires continued to rage around the city.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this true-color image of smoke streaming from multiple fires near Chita on May 22, 2025. The city, a stop along the Trans-Siberian Railway, has a population of about 350,000. News reports indicate that fires were active on the city’s outskirts on May 20 and were edging closer to the city center as firefighters worked amid dry, windy conditions.
On May 20, 2025, Russia’s Aerial Protection Service reported 49 fires burning across nearly 700,000 hectares (2,700 square miles) in six regions of the country. Thirty-three fires were in Zabaykal’skiy Krai (also called Transbaikal) and nine in the Republic of Buryatiya, both of which border Mongolia. Russian officials reported deploying 2,700 personnel and 13 aircraft to fight the fires, including more than 1,000 paratroopers and airborne troops in Zabaykal’skiy.
On May 24, the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) reported that 9,690 hectares had burned in Buryatia and Zabaykal’skiy over the previous seven days. GDACS also estimates that the potential impacted population to be as many as 1.1 million in Buryatia alone. Impacts may include smoke, threat of damage to buildings and property by flames, or other affiliated effects. Both Buryatia and Zabaykal’skiy Krai are located in the Russian Far East, with Buryatia adjacent to and west of Zabaykal’skiy.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 5/22/2025
Resolutions:
1km (472.5 KB), 500m (1.4 MB), 250m (4 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
