Russia's chief sanitary official urged Russians on Sunday to donate what they could to help the victims of this week's wildfires in the Volgograd Region.

More than 70 fires broke out on Thursday amid high temperatures and strong winds that meant the flames moved quickly toward populated areas. Eight people died and about 1,000 were left homeless as 419 houses and 112 other buildings were destroyed.

"I would like to ask public organizations and people who are not indifferent to the fate of victims of the fires to help them in every possible way, first of all with clothes," chief sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko said.

He said about 140 of the homeless were in temporary accommodation, while most were staying with friends and relatives.

The government said on Friday that all the houses would be rebuilt by the start of December.

MOSCOW, September 5 (RIA Novosti)