More than 10,000 hectares of forest are burning in the Chernobyl region.

Due to hostilities, 31 fires covering more than 10,000 hectares of forest have been recorded in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The fires threaten radiation hazards to Ukraine, Belarus, and the European Union stated the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner Lyudmila Denisova. As a result of combustion, radionuclides are released into the atmosphere and are transported by wind over long distances, which exposes large areas to radiation. Due to dry, windy weather, the intensity and size of ​​the fires will increase, leading to large-scale fires, which are challenging to deal with even in peacetime. Moreover, the flames could engulf spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste storage facilities located in the Chernobyl Zone, leading to catastrophic consequences.