The taiga has been burning for years due to climate change. Some of these fires are nonstop, with so-called ghost fires burning underground through the winter that reignite into bigger fires when it gets dry. Siberia has had it the worst. I wonder if this is related. I would think it probably is.
It is noteworthy that the mayor of Bratsk (Irkutsk region) has already stated that "in all cases, fires are handmade, everywhere the human factor." In all likelihood, the season of kebabs with alcohol in nature gave a new impetus to the elements. In some settlements, the fire was close to multi-storey buildings.
This could be a possibility too, although I don't know whether the statement is in earnest or coming from a climate-denial perspective like you hear in the US and Canada. Hopefully the former. Is anyone familiar with the mayor, by any chance?
Idk about politics but I know stuff about fire. Catostrophic wildfires can be prevented by making sure there isn't lots of dead, dry wood... not lots of dead, dry grass. Prescribed fire is the big way to do this, also mowing and landscaping properly around buildings. And most wildfires do have a human-based ignition point as well.
If the Ukrainians and the West hadn't made us invade with all their provocations, then the firefighting services would have been fully staffed and available to fight the fire. If you lost property or loved ones in the fire, just know, it's on the Ukrainians' heads. How DARE they. And that's why we have to defeat them, which we're already doing, of course.