A large-scale operation to extinguish a wildfire that raged for two weeks has concluded in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Official confirmation of the complete liquidation of the fire was received from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES).
14 days of continuous battle against the flames
Rescue units from the Kyiv region, along with other specialized services, carried out continuous work to tame the fire in the exclusion zone. Firefighting operations lasted exactly 14 days. The primary fuel for the fire was the forest floor and slash—dry branches and fallen leaves, which ignite easily and sustain combustion rapidly.
Specialists managed to prevent the fire from spreading over significant areas. The SES emphasizes that throughout the entire emergency period, the fire remained under full control. Thanks to the coordinated actions of rescuers, the fire sources were localized, preventing the flames from spreading to healthy forest stands.
Radiation levels remain normal
One of the key aspects of extinguishing the fire in the Chernobyl zone was constant monitoring of the radiation situation. Specialists conducted regular measurements of the radiation background in the area of the fire. According to the agency, all obtained indicators remained within natural background levels and never exceeded permissible safety norms.
Cause of the fire
This fire began on June 25, following an attack by Russian drones on facilities in the region. This event acted as a catalyst for the ignition, which subsequently required two weeks of work by rescuers.
Recall that the threat to facilities in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone arose earlier. On the night of June 7, a Russian kamikaze drone attacked the site of the Centralized Storage Facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel. As a result of the strike, the container reception building was partially destroyed; however, the fire that arose at that time was extinguished promptly.
