Emergency crews continue efforts to extinguish a large-scale forest fire in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported. Strong wind gusts are causing the fire to spread rapidly, engulfing new sections of forest.
The estimated area affected by the fire has already exceeded 1,100 hectares. The situation is complicated by dry weather, strong winds, and the danger posed by mines in certain areas, as work in some forest sectors has been temporarily suspended due to the threat of explosive devices.
Units of the State Emergency Service, specialized equipment, and forces from other agencies have been deployed to combat the fire. Rescuers are operating in an intensified mode, localizing fire hotspots and preventing further spread of the blaze.
