forced to wear face masks like this, if you want to be safe. you mentioned the death total, 52 from the fires, but that belie what is could be the real figure. remember, heldth workers here, the health authorities are saying that the mortality rates for the month of july are twice as high as they were for the same time last year. and so if you -- you know, quite back to the whole of this western central region of russia, that could mean thousands of people have lost their lives because of these poisonous, noxious fumes. >> and as i said, the reports indicate that authorities don't think they can have this under control for at least five or seven days. >> well, five or seven days, very optimistic estimate. at the moment, what everybody is waiting for, are for the weather conditions to change. we're in the middle of the worst drought here for nearly 40 years. it hasn't rained since may, temperatures around 40 degrees send centigrade, 104 degrees fahrenheit, in a country used to