NW haze from escaped Siberian fires, forecasters say

Central Oregonians are used to hazy skies from prescribed burns — but forecasters say this weekend’s haze came from escaped grass fires in Siberia that have swept through nearly 60 villages and killed more than 20 people.

The wind-whipped wildfires last week originated with grassland fires set by Russian farmers preparing for spring planting, officials say.

The Siberian Timers said winds pushed the fires set by farmers to burn dried gass, especially bad in the southeastern Siberian republic of Khakassia, where over 1,300 homes were destroyed or damaged, injuring 900 people and leaving nearly 5,000 without shelter.

The smoke also has made for dramatic, fiery red sunsets in the Northwest, along with the haze picked up by weather satellites.