AS THE WILDFIRES which have killed 48 people and wiped out forests, villages and a military base continued to rage across Russia today, the ten million residents of Moscow were left to suffocate on a thick, black smog.

The smoke – which was blown in from burning peat bogs outside the city by a strong wind – descended from the early morning, stinging the eyes of commuters, and leaving public health officials to warn of the hazards of breathing in carbon monoxide. People were urged to wear face masks if they ventured outside.

Some 400km to the east of the capital, firefighters have turned to the help of robots in the struggle to contain the flames surrounding a top-secret nuclear facility in Sarov.

President Dmitry Medvedev has already fired several high-ranking military officials – including the chief of Russia’s naval aviation – over what he called criminal negligence in allowing fires to ravage a military base. Some reports say up to 200 naval aircraft have been destroyed.

Over the last 24 hours, firefighters have extinguished 293 fires, but another 403 have been spotted – while more than 500 continued to rage over large swathes of countryside.

Temperatures in Moscow and to the south and east are forecast to reach 38 degrees in the coming days.