Moscow, August 10 (Interfax) - Wildfires raging in European Russia have spread to forests that suffered high-degree radioactive contamination during the 1986 Chornobyl accident, one of the largest international environmental groups, Greenpeace, said on Tuesday.
"Today Greenpeace has published a map from which it follows that fires have begun in radiation-contaminated forests. The map, based on information as of August 9, makes clear that there are more than 20 fires in contaminated territories, including three fires in highly contaminated forests in Bryansk region," Greenpeace Russia said in a press release.
The map is based on material from the International Atomic Energy Agency and information provided via the Fire Information for Resource Management System and based on space photographs.
"A rise in the background radiation level will not lead to another Chornobyl radioactive emission. However, one should not underestimate the role of smaller doses of radiation, as the combined effect of smaller doses and the toxicity of carbon monoxide and other products of combustion in forests and peat bogs has still not been found out," the release quoted Vladimir Chuprov, head of Greenpeace Russia’s energy program, as saying.
"For the past 1,000 years we have never had such a mess in the state administration of the forestry sector, and it can be said that the prime cause of it is the absolutely hideous forestry legislation. It is the greatest mistake we can make now to blame everything on the abnormal weather conditions," Greenpeace Russia Sergei Tsyplakov said as quoted by the release.
On Monday, Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry announced that measurements in two of Bryansk region’s towns worst affected by the Chornobyl accident had shown normal radiation levels.
