Russian Wildfire Enters Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Zone

Wildfire in Russia

Russia - Russia's Federal Forestry Agency admitted that the wildfires are threatening a nuclear power plant that witnessed the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The wildfires is now a major concern for the authority, which has already entered the danger nuclear zone, scaring people as radioactive particles could be mixed with atmospheric layer. The furious wildfires has already reached an area of 3,900 hectares of 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster zone. At least 52 people were killed by the fire so far.

Authorities said that firefighters are already working hard to tame the fire in the danger zone. However, they didn't deny the seriousness of the incident.

"There are maps of the nuclear contamination, there are maps of the fires," said the official in the affected Bryansk region, bordering Ukraine and Belarus. "Anyone can put the two together. Why deny this information?"

During a test April 26, 1986, Chernobyl nuclear power plant accidentally released radioactive clouds over a large area, shrouding western Russia and northern Europe. The neighboring area Bryansk is covered by large forests that was also affected by the disaster.

Senior officials assured that that there were no health risk to public health and they maintained appropriate measures to control the fire.

Senior officials, however, denied there was a risk to public health.

"There is no reason for panic," Alexei Bobrinsky, the forestry agency's deputy director said.