In the exclusion zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, firefighters have been battling a forest fire for the second day, which arose after the fall of a drone. The flames have already engulfed more than a thousand hectares of territory.
A large-scale forest fire continues in the Chernobyl exclusion zone in northern Ukraine.
According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES), on Friday, May 8, the approximate area of the fire has already exceeded 1,100 hectares. Units of the SES, special equipment, and forces from other services are involved in extinguishing the fire.
According to the agency, due to strong gusts of wind, the fire is spreading rapidly across the territory, covering new areas of the forest. "The situation is complicated by dry weather, strong winds, and the danger of mines in certain areas, which significantly limits the ability to conduct firefighting operations. In particular, in some forest compartments, work is temporarily not being carried out due to the threat of explosive objects," the SES statement said.
The cause of the fire was the fall of a UAV
The Chernobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve added that the fire broke out the day before, on May 7, after the fall of a drone.
The radiation background in the area of the fire remains within normal limits - from 0.19 to 0.35 µSv/hour, according to the reserve's statement. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine also noted that as of 11:00 on May 8, the radiation situation remains stable throughout the country, including in the northern Kyiv region.
The Chernobyl exclusion zone is about 2,600 square kilometers of territory in Ukraine, from which residents were evacuated after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster on April 26, 1986. Forest fires have occurred in this area more than once.
