The forest fire in the area of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant continues to rapidly expand after ignitions that began the day before. The fire has already engulfed about 1,200 hectares, and in some areas, rescuers cannot operate due to the mine hazard.
A fire in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, which started after drone crashes on Friday, has significantly increased in scale by Saturday.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the fire has spread to several nature conservation areas and forestry sites, including Opachychi, Teremtsi, Parishiv, and Korohodske Forestry.
The area of the fire is preliminarily estimated to be around 1,200 hectares.
The most challenging situation is currently in the areas of Opachychi and on the left bank of the Pripyat River. The main firefighting forces and equipment are directed there.
Strong gusts of wind are creating an additional problem, causing the fire to continue spreading. In particular, the ground fire has moved from the Teremtsi area to the Parishiv area, leading to further increases in the area of the blaze.
In some sectors, firefighting is currently impossible due to the mine hazard—the territory around the Chernobyl zone remains partially mined after military actions.
A total of 367 people and 84 units of equipment have been involved in extinguishing the fire.
Despite the scale of the blaze, authorities claim that the radiation background in the area remains within normal limits.
For many, the Chernobyl zone is still primarily associated with radiation threats, so any fires in this area attract special attention and concern—partly due to the risk of spreading radioactive dust.
The territory around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant remains abandoned after the 1986 disaster, the largest accident in the history of civilian nuclear energy. A nature reserve was later established there.
After the onset of the full-scale war in 2022, Russian troops temporarily occupied the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of creating threats to nuclear energy facilities.
It is important to note that in February 2025, damage appeared in the protective dome of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant after a drone strike—resulting in a hole in the structure.
While firefighters continue to battle the flames, the situation in the zone remains complex and requires constant monitoring.
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