In Russia, 54 persons are reported dead in the worst fire that spread across the country. The emergencies ministry said that over 500 fires covering about 65,000 hectares of land were still ablaze. Russia has sent thousands of fire fighters to a nature reserve near the country's top nuclear research centre in Sarov where fires are ablaze dangerously close to it. Officials said the fire was spreading. The head of the emergencies ministry for the Mordovia region Major General Vyacheslav Kormilitsyn said in a statement that the fire which appeared in the eastern part of the nature reserve two days ago after lightning struck a pine tree has grown in size and presents a certain danger. The wild fire is just about 17 kilometres away from the nuclear site.