A large wildfire swept through the Chernobyl exclusion zone after a drone crash near the decommissioned plant. Radiation levels were reported within "normal limits" while firefighters worked to contain the blaze, which covered about 1,100 hectares as of 10 a.m. on May 8. Containment efforts are hampered by strong winds, dry weather and mine danger. Kyiv has accused Moscow of attacks on nuclear sites, and previous fires in 2020 caused spikes in background radiation.
Large Wildfire Tears Through Chernobyl Exclusion Zone After Drone Crash
The site surrounding Chernobyl nuclear plant has been largely deserted since 1986, when the plant suffered a catastrophic meltdown (Handout)(Handout/Ukrainian Chernobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve/AFP)
A large forest fire was burning through the Chernobyl exclusion zone on Friday after a drone crash near the decommissioned nuclear plant the previous day, Ukrainian authorities said. Firefighters and emergency teams were working to contain the blaze while monitoring radiation levels.
Authorities reported that radiation readings at the site remained within "normal limits." An image released by Ukraine's state emergency service showed a thick column of white smoke rising from the area, parts of which remain closed to the public because of elevated radioactivity.
The Chernobyl Nature Reserve, which manages the site of the 1986 disaster, said the blaze covered roughly 1,100 hectares (11 square kilometres or about 4 square miles) as of 10 a.m. (0700 GMT) on May 8. The reserve said the fire began on Thursday "as a result of a drone crash," but did not specify the drone's origin.
"As of 10 a.m. (0700 GMT) on May 8, the approximate area of the fire was about 1,100 hectares (11 square kilometres, four square miles),"
Ukraine's state emergency service said rescuers were focused on preventing further spread but that their work was being hindered by strong gusts of wind, dry weather and the presence of mines in some parts of the exclusion zone, which limits access for firefighting crews.
"Due to strong gusts of wind, the fire is rapidly spreading across the territory, covering new sections of the forest," the service said. "The situation is complicated by dry weather, strong winds and mine danger in certain areas of the territory, which significantly limits the possibility of extinguishing work."
The exclusion zone surrounding the Chernobyl nuclear plant has been mostly deserted since the 1986 reactor meltdown. The area experienced prolonged wildfires in 2020 that persisted for weeks and caused measurable spikes in background radiation. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of reckless attacks on Ukrainian nuclear sites; last year, a Russian drone punctured a hole in one of the containment shells covering the reactor unit that exploded in 1986.
Ukrainian authorities continue to monitor both the fire and radiation levels closely. Emergency teams stressed the combined challenge of weather and wartime hazards as they work to contain the blaze and protect nearby communities.
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