The situation in Russia's largest sub-republic of Sacha in northeastern Siberia continues to worsen.
According to the country's weather authority Rosgidromet, 34,000 square kilometers, an area larger than Belgium, are burning in the region, which mostly consists of forest.
It can be compared to the so-called Dixie fire, the second largest in the history of American California, which is now raging and covers just under 2,000 square kilometers.
The smoke has traveled 300 miles
Another measure of the extent of the fire was revealed on Saturday.
Satellite images from the US space agency Nasa, which AFP took part in, showed that the fire smoke from Siberia has now reached the North Pole - 300 km from Sacha.
According to Nasa, this is the first time in documented history.
The satellite images also showed that most of Russia is covered by smoke.
Record high temperatures and persistent drought combined with an area that is both remote and difficult to access have made the fires difficult to control.
Concerns about increased greenhouse gases
Forest fires are a naturally occurring phenomenon during the hot summers of Siberia.
But the extent and intensity has increased in recent years, which has raised concerns that the permafrost will thaw and release large amounts of greenhouse gases stored in the frozen tundra.
Last week, the EU's environmental monitoring program Copernicus announced that fires in Siberia have released more than 505 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent since the beginning of June. The summer has thus beaten last year's record record, even though the fire season is not over yet.