<p><br /> Acrid smoke from forest and peat fires, worsened by record high temperatures, have shrouded Moscow in smog.<br /> </p><p><br /> The Ministry for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters said 21 fires across 42 acres were burning in the region.<br /> </p><p><br /> Russian news agency Itar-Tass said fire-fighting planes had managed to put out blazes on around 29 acres of land over the weekend.<br /> </p><p><br /> As a result, the Russian capital has been shrouded in a fog, causing breathing difficulties for many residents.<br /> </p><p><br /> Itar-Tass reported that the smoke had reduced visibility in parts of the city to below 300-500 metres, and was disrupting traffic, with situation in the south, southeast and east of the city the worst.<br /> </p><p><br /> In Moscow's outskirts, crops have been destroyed by the fires, causing huge financial losses to farmers. Wildlife has also been affected.<br /> </p><p><br /> The worst affected areas have not seen any rain since May. In the Nizhegorodskaya province, near the Volga river, forest fires engulfed several villages, and had to be evacuated.<br /> </p><p><br /> The weather forecast brings no comfort to heat-tormented Muscovites and millions of people in Russia. Meteorologists expect temperatures to rise up to 39 degrees Celsius on Thursday.<br /> </p>
