A wildfire is spreading through the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone – one of the world’s most sensitive radioactive areas – on Thursday, May 8, as a result of a drone crash.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said the fire had already engulfed more than 1,100 hectares (2,718 acres) of forest in the exclusion zone in the Kyiv region, adding that strong winds, dry weather, and landmines are complicating firefighting efforts.
“Due to strong wind gusts, the fire is rapidly spreading across the territory, covering new sections of the forest massif,” the agency said in a statement published on Telegram.
Officials said firefighters are struggling to contain the blaze because some parts of the forest remain contaminated with explosive hazards left behind after Russia’s invasion of northern Ukraine in 2022.
“In some forest sectors, firefighting operations are temporarily suspended due to the threat of explosive objects,” the emergency service said.
The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone was established after the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear disaster, the worst nuclear accident in history. The restricted area surrounds the destroyed reactor at the former nuclear power plant and remains largely uninhabited due to radioactive contamination, although radiation levels vary across different parts of the zone.
Emergency crews, specialized equipment, and additional government agencies have been deployed to contain the fire.
The blaze has also raised concerns about potential radiation risks near the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.
However, Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said the radiation situation remained stable as of 11 a.m., including in the northern parts of the Kyiv region.
According to data from Ukraine’s national hydrometeorological service, gamma radiation levels remain within normal limits across the country, the ministry said.
The background radiation levels in the area of the fire remain within normal limits – ranging from 0.19 to 0.35 μSv/h, according to the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve.
Authorities urged the public to rely only on official sources amid growing online speculation surrounding radiation risks linked to the fire.
The wildfire comes as Ukraine faces a wider wave of forest fires linked to wartime conditions and ongoing Russian attacks near border areas.
In neighboring Chernihiv Oblast, Ukrainian officials say around 2,400 hectares (5,930 acres) of forest near the Russian border are currently burning following Russian attacks. Authorities say firefighters cannot access some of the affected areas because of security threats.
Wildfire during a ceasefire?
The wildfire took place amid the Kremlin’s unilateral ceasefire.
The Kremlin had proposed a temporary truce for May 8-9 tied to WWII anniversary events. President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the proposal as “cynical,” calling it a “theatrical performance” designed to protect the Red Square parade from potential Ukrainian strikes rather than establish a genuine pause in fighting.
Kyiv instead proposed what Zelensky described as a unilateral “regime of silence” beginning May 6 to test whether Moscow was serious about pursuing a real ceasefire.
But Zelensky said Moscow ignored the offer and violated the proposal within hours, while Moscow later said it did not consider Kyiv’s proposal.
“Russia has not stopped any type of its military activity,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky added that Ukraine would respond “mirror-like” to Russian actions and determine “fully justified responses” depending on developments overnight and on May 7.
Moscow, meanwhile, warned foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations on Wednesday that it could launch “massive retaliatory strikes” on Kyiv, including against what it called “decision-making centers,” if Ukraine disrupts Victory Day events in the Russian capital.