Ukraine warns of forest fires near Chernobyl nuclear site

Fires broke out in the forests of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone this week, raising concerns that radiation from the nuclear site could spread.

The Ukrainian parliament released a statement on Monday regarding the situation at Chernobyl, saying the fires were likely caused by Russian military forces, possibly due to weapons use or deliberate arson. According to satellite imagery from the European Space Agency, seven fires were burning within the exclusion zone.

Chernobyl is the site of the worst nuclear disaster in history. An exclusionary area of about 1,000 square miles now surrounds the nuclear power plant.

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that Ukraine’s natural resources minister said the flames had been extinguished and that radiation levels were normal.

Early on in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces took control of Chernobyl. After they took control of the plant, more than 60 Chernobyl nuclear plant workers worked nearly 600 hours to maintain safety levels before they were replaced by “employee-volunteers” and permitted to go home.

The Ukrainian parliament praised all the workers who have maintained the Chernobyl plant in their statement, saying they had heroically performed their jobs to maintain safety levels.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, also praised the workers when they were released earlier this week, saying, “They deserve our full respect and admiration for having worked in these extremely difficult circumstances.”