<p>A significant forest fire is raging within the Chernobyl exclusion zone, triggered by drone activity in the area. Despite the severity of the blaze, officials report minimal risk of radioactive contamination beyond the immediate vicinity.</p>

<p>The Chernobyl Radiation Eco-Biosphere Reserve (CREBR) has reported on <a href="https://t.me/s/zapovidnyk">Telegram</a> that approximately 12 square kilometers of forest and a former cooling pond southeast of Chernobyl are ablaze following a drone crash. Emergency response teams, consisting of around 331 personnel and various equipment, are currently addressing the crisis.</p>

<p>Denis Vishnevsky from CREBR stated, “It’s a significant fire. The fire lines gather air with concentrated radionuclides. We assess radionuclide levels in our bodies following each shift.”</p>

<p>Vishnevsky also confirmed that radiation levels remain normal within a 5 to 10-kilometer radius of the fire, indicating little to no contamination risk outside the exclusion zone.</p>

<p>According to satellite imagery estimates from <em>New Scientist</em>, the affected area may have expanded to 24.4 square kilometers.</p>

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<p>[Olena Burdo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-burdo-46a65a44/?originalSubdomain=ua) from the Nuclear Research Institute in Kyiv was near the fire's origin but was unable to access the site due to military restrictions. She reported only visible smoke but corroborated the low risk of contamination outside the area.</p>

<p>Ukraine's State Emergency Service (SES) highlighted the challenges in combating the fire, stating that <a href="https://t.me/dsns_telegram/63362">dry conditions, strong winds, and landmines</a> complicate firefighting efforts. “The fire is rapidly spreading,” they conveyed, with hopes that anticipated rain would assist the firefighters.</p>

<p>Some regions remain inaccessible due to mine presence, causing teams to temporarily withdraw while focusing operations on safer areas.</p>

<p>The Chernobyl exclusion zone frequently sees drone activity from Russian forces targeting Kyiv and other locations. Last year, a Russian drone incident caused damage to the New Safe Confinement Shelter that protects the site of the catastrophic 1986 disaster, risking exposure to radioactive materials.</p>

<p>Videos from that incident captured flames and smoke ejecting from the shelter's structural damage. Fortunately, the damage occurred far from the reactor and sarcophagus, minimizing the risk of a collapse that could release hazardous radiation.</p>

<section class="ArticleTopics" data-component-name="article-topics">
    <p class="ArticleTopics__Heading">Topics:</p>
    <ul class="ArticleTopics__List">
        <li class="ArticleTopics__ListItem">Nuclear Power Plant Accident<span>/</span></li>
        <li class="ArticleTopics__ListItem">Invasion of Ukraine</li>
    </ul>
</section>