Overview
- The wildfire, which reserve officials say began after a drone crashed on Thursday, has burned about 1,100 to 1,180 hectares.
- Strong winds and rough terrain are slowing crews, with drones over the zone and some mined areas limiting access for firefighters.
- Authorities report no rise in radiation in the burned area, and Ukraine’s emergency service says nationwide monitoring shows normal levels.
- The reserve’s administration did not name the drones’ origin, while a regional governor blamed Russian strikes and said hostile drones were hovering over the site.
- Fires in the exclusion zone can lift radioactive dust into smoke, and the site’s newer containment was damaged by a Russian drone in February 2025, which the IAEA said should be repaired.