The fire in the Chernobyl Reserve, which broke out on May 8, has been extinguished, but the spillage of individual peat smoldering areas over an area of about 2 hectares continues.
This was reported on May 13 by the Chernobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve and the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management on their Facebook pages.
A fire has been raging in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone since May 8 and has covered an area of 1,200 hectares. The fire was localized on May 10, and it was extinguished on the evening of May 12, the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management said.
Forest litter, fallen wood, and peat bogs burned on the territory of the Opachytsky, Korohodsky, Teremtsivsky, and Parishivsky nature conservation research departments of the Chernobyl Reserve.
A rescuer puts out a fire in the Chernobyl zone. Facebook/Chernobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve
“During an inspection of the territory in the Opachytskyi PNDV, safe remains of two Russian UAVs of the “Geran-2″ type were discovered. Currently, the spillage of individual peat smoldering centers on an area of about 2 hectares and constant monitoring of the situation using UAVs are ongoing,” the State Agency said in a statement.
Unmanned systems of the State Emergency Service were used to extinguish the fire in the Chernobyl zone. Telegram/Chernobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve
The Chernobyl Reserve reported that they are deactivating equipment, and workers involved in extinguishing the fire are undergoing spectrometric monitoring of human radiation at the Ecocenter.
“The territory of the exclusion zone remains one of the most fire-dangerous areas of the country. Due to its border location, UAV debris is regularly recorded falling here after air attacks, which creates a constant threat of new fire outbreaks,” the report says.
The area in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone where the fire raged. Facebook/State Agency for Management of the Exclusion Zone
The Chernobyl Nature Reserve also noted that extinguishing fires is further complicated by the significant number of arsonists from previous years, the clutter of forest areas, and the accumulation of dry wood, which contributes to the rapid spread of fire and prolonged smoldering of peatlands.
What is known about the fire in the Chernobyl Reserve?
The State Emergency Service reported a large-scale fire in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone on May 8. According to rescuers, the fire engulfed forests and dry vegetation in the reserve, and the area of the fire initially exceeded 1,100 hectares, and later increased to about 1,180 hectares.
Burning was recorded in several forest blocks of the Exclusion Zone. The situation was complicated by strong winds, dry weather, and mine danger, which temporarily prevented rescuers from working in some areas.
According to the Chernobyl Reserve, the fire broke out after two UAVs crashed in the Exclusion Zone.
The State Emergency Service informed that the radiation background in the area of the fire and in the Kyiv region remains within normal limits. The State Emergency Service spokesman Oleksandr Khorunzhy also denied information about an alleged “radioactive cloud” moving towards Kyiv.
According to the results of average daily observations, the air quality is stable, no exceedances of permissible concentrations of harmful substances have been recorded. The level of gamma radiation corresponds to the natural background, the Kyiv Regional State Administration informed.
They also reported that monitoring was conducted at 16 points: in Brovary, Bila Tserkva, Boryspil, Pereyaslav, Vyshgorod, Boyarka, Obukhiv, Kaharlyk, Uzyn, Bohuslav, Vasylkiv, Irpen, Ivankov, Vyshneve, the village of Velyka Dymerka, and the village of Pidhirtsi.