The death toll from wildfires in Russia has risen to at least 21, according to media reports.

Over 40 homes in the Siberian region of Kurgan were destroyed by the fires and several villages had to be evacuated. At least 21 people were killed and 14 more injured, Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing a health worker.

"The death toll could even rise," the worker told TASS.

In the Tyumen region, also in Siberia, a man died on Monday while trying to fight an approaching fire.

According to official figures, at least 20 houses were destroyed by the flames, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Russia has faced increasingly ferocious forest and wildfires during the summer fire season.

Experts have warned for years that climate change will exacerbate such catastrophes.

Last year there were also isolated reports that there was a shortage of rescue workers in some forest fire regions because of the number of people being sent to fight in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.