Fires in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, which began on June 25 due to the crash of a Russian UAV, have worsened air quality in Kyiv and several areas of the Kyiv region.
This was reported by the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute of the State Emergency Service and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
Satellites showed that smoke spread south from the fire centers on June 27-28. This caused air quality and visibility to deteriorate in Kyiv, as well as in the Vyshhorod, Bucha, and Brovary areas.
Satellites also recorded increased levels of carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter in the air. The plumes of polluted air stretched up to 170 kilometers from the fire sites.
As of June 29, fires in the Chornobyl zone are still ongoing. Experts warn that if the northerly wind blows, smoke could again spread towards Kyiv and nearby settlements.
The State Emergency Service said that more than 200 people and about 60 units of special equipment were involved in extinguishing the fire. Due to the heat, the temperature directly in the combustion centers reaches about 50 degrees Celsius. The radiation background is normal.
- The last time a fire broke out in the Chornobyl zone was on May 8 and was extinguished on May 12. The fire covered an area of 1 200 hectares.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.