Siberian moth infestation leaves dead forests fueling uncontrollable wildfires

Repeated cycles of the Siberian silk moth, which strips needles from conifers, have devastated central Siberian forests, leaving countless trees standing lifeless but upright. Research published in Frontiers in Insect Science indicates that the moth’s life-cycle timing is governed by complex environmental cues rather than simple temperature or food availability. Remote-sensing studies recorded an outbreak from 2015 to 2018 that damaged an estimated 428,600 hectares in the Yenisei region, with a subsequent, smaller event affecting about 41,500 hectares in Irbei.

Historical Russian records show similar infestations over the past century, killing millions of hectares of forest. The deadwood, persisting for years in the cold, dry climate, has turned the landscape into a tinderbox, and the unusually hot summer of 2026 ignited these fuels, producing wildfires that officials struggle to contain. Authorities acknowledge that clearing such extensive dead timber is impractical, and the moth itself is native, limiting eradication options.