Forest Fire Burns 1,180 Hectares in Chernobyl Zone

A massive forest fire erupted in Ukraine's Chernobyl Exclusion Zone after a drone crashed near the defunct nuclear plant on Thursday, scorching more than 1,100 hectares of woodland by Friday as firefighters struggled against strong winds and other hazards. Ukrainian authorities reported radiation levels in the area remained within normal limits, between 0.19 and 0.35 μSv/h, with no immediate threat to surrounding regions.

The blaze, which began in the restricted area surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Kyiv region, rapidly expanded due to gusty conditions and dry weather, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. "Due to strong gusts of wind, the fire is rapidly spreading across the territory, covering new sections of the forest," the agency stated. Firefighting efforts were further complicated by landmines and unexploded ordnance scattered across parts of the zone from Russia's 2022 invasion of northern Ukraine, forcing temporary suspensions in some sectors.

The Chernobyl Nature Reserve, which manages the site, estimated the fire's size at about 1,180 hectares, or roughly 12 square kilometers, as of early afternoon. Images from the scene showed thick...