Efforts to extinguish a large-scale forest fire continue in Vyshhorod District of Kyiv Region, where the fire broke out near the village of Bohdany. According to the Main Directorate of the State Service for Emergency Situations (DSNS) of Ukraine in Kyiv Region, the fire front stretches for several kilometers and covers a significant area of the forest. To bring the flames under control, aviation of the State Service for Emergency Situations has been additionally deployed to the emergency site, along with rescue units from Kyiv, Kyiv Region and other regions of Ukraine, as well as workers of the state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine."
Extinguishing progress: aviation and forces from other regions
As reported by the DSNS, a wide range of resources has been brought in to fight the fire: in addition to the service's aviation, rescue workers from Kyiv, Kyiv Region and other regions of the country, as well as foresters from the state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine," are working on site. The service emphasized that this is "heavy and exhausting work that requires the endurance, courage and professionalism of everyone standing today in defense of the forest." The operational situation remains difficult, so forces continue to be reinforced as needed.
Conditions on site: heat, wind and smoke
The firefighters' work is complicated by weather factors: scorching sun, heavy smoke and gusty winds create conditions in which the flames spread quickly and unpredictably. "Under difficult conditions, under the scorching sun, in smoke and strong wind, firefighters continue to work at the limits of their capabilities. Step by step they are defending the forest in the fight against the fire, risking their own health and safety," the DSNS statement reads. According to the service's assessment, it is precisely the combination of heat and wind that is the key factor contributing to the rapid spread of the fire.
Context: fires across Ukraine
The Vyshhorod fire is not the only major emergency of its kind in the country. Earlier, a large-scale fire was extinguished in Cherkasy District, which started in the village of Kumeiki after a utility structure caught fire on the grounds of a private residence. In Kirovohrad Region, near the village of Zarya in the Pervozvanivska hromada, former wastewater settling ponds were smoldering, causing smoke to spread as far as Kropyvnytskyi. The combination of these incidents indicates that several fire outbreaks of various origins are simultaneously active in a number of regions.
Forecast: extreme danger level on August 25–27
The situation is further aggravated by the weather forecast: according to data cited by RBC-Ukraine, an extreme level of fire danger will persist in most regions of Ukraine during August 25–27. Weather conditions on these days will contribute to a high probability of fires even with minimal sources of open flame. Against this backdrop, the DSNS and forestry services continue their work at the fire site in Vyshhorod District and warn of the need for extreme caution when handling fire in areas adjacent to forested zones.
