A massive fire has erupted inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine – the emergency response is being hampered by landmines in the area
A massive fire spread across 1,100 hectares is raging inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
The blaze is proving incredibly tricky to put out as Ukrainian firefighters face the risk of landmines in the area, emergency services said.
Ukraine’s emergency services said: “Efforts to extinguish a large-scale forest fire are ongoing in the Exclusion Zone
“Due to strong gusts of wind, the fire is spreading rapidly across the area, engulfing new sections of the forest. The estimated area affected by the fire now exceeds 1,100 hectares.
“The situation is complicated by dry weather, strong winds and the risk of landmines in certain areas, which significantly limits the ability to carry out fire-fighting operations. In particular, work has been temporarily suspended in some forest sections due to the threat of explosive ordnance.
“Units of the State Emergency Service, specialist equipment and personnel from other services have been deployed to tackle the fire. Rescue workers are operating in an enhanced mode, localising the sources of ignition and preventing the fire from spreading further. Work is ongoing.”
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