In the exclusion zone, rescuers and specialized services have completed the fire containment on the territory of the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve. This was reported by the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management (SAUEZM).
The containment of the fire on a total area of 1,200 hectares was officially recorded on May 12 at 21:30. Currently, in certain areas, the dousing of smoldering peat bogs on an area of about 2 hectares continues to prevent reignition.
Radiation control and decontamination
Following the completion of the active extinguishing phase, routine safety measures have begun. In particular, decontamination of the equipment involved is being carried out. All workers who participated in the firefighting operations undergo mandatory spectrometric control of human radiation at the SSE 'Ecocenter'. Only after completing these procedures do the units return to their permanent deployment points.
The SAUEZM emphasizes that the exclusion zone territory remains one of the most fire-prone areas in Ukraine. The high level of risk is due to several factors:
- Military threats: due to the border location, falling debris from unmanned aerial vehicles is regularly recorded in the zone after air attacks, which triggers new fires.
- Condition of forest massifs: a significant amount of burnt areas from previous years, forest clutter, and the accumulation of dry wood contribute to the rapid spread of fire and prolonged smoldering of peat.
