Sergiy Zibtsev’s interview on forest fire in the Exclusion Zone, 5-7 June

June 13, 2018
Kyiv

 Nearby the Chernobyl city almost 10 hectares of forest burned down as a result of the fire. After the Chernobyl accident, trees in this forest absorbed the largest amount of radioactive dust. GolosUA decided to find out why there are fires in the Chornobyl zone every summer, asking the teacher of the Education and Research Institute of Forestry and Park Gardening Sergiy Zibtsev. In addition, we asked how much dangerous forest fires in the exclusion zone are for locals and residents of Kyiv.


Why forest fires occur in Chornobyl every summer and who is to blame?
We have thousands of stalkers trying to cross the Exclusion zone to the Belarussian border on their own. Particularly exactly these people set the forest on fire. For example, throwing cigarette butts. Another cause – locals, who sometimes burn the grass on their pastures or gardens.

Can you name the cause of the last forest fire in the Chornobyl zone?
On NASA photographs taken from space, it is seen that the ignition occurred at several places. The police investigate versions of arson and ignition from cigarette butts. Fire fighters were suppressing the forest fire in Chornobyl, which occurred on 5th of June, for a long time due to heavy wind – 21 km/h. Such kind of wind is not typical for Ukraine. As a result of climate change the fire under such wind outpaces emergency forces and is very hard to extinguish. At the same time, it's impossible to get into a dense forest, except for tanks. There is a territory of graveyards where dangerous radioactive waste is buried.

How dangerous Chernobyl fires are for locals and Kyiv residents?
First of all, they are dangerous for people living near the Exclusion zone, about 40 thousand people. Also for rescuers and firefighters. In addition, during a fire in the Red forest, an excess of radiation background was recorded 7-10 times. At the same time the highest radiation rates still remain in Chernobyl. After the forest fire, it has risen 10 times. In general, in the nearest future, radioactive particles should settle doen within a radius of 15 kilometers. All cars that were involved in fire extinguishing are already hazardous to health. And it is not desirable for the cars to leave the Exclusion zone. Kyiv is not threatened by anything. If the fire had not been eliminated within three days, then it would have led to negative consequences such as contamination.

Was the fire in the Chornobyl zone extinguished in the right way?
The problem of extinguishing the fire occurred at the very first stage. The response of the rescuers was not fast enough. Initially, it was necessary to involve the aviation in fire extinguishing. To prevent fires, we need surveillance cameras, as well as regulations, so that the firefighters arrive at the place of ignition in 15 minutes. Such standards are now established in Turkey and France. If this is achieved, then the fires will be eliminated immediately, not after three days.

Does the machinery meet all the necessary criteria for the efficient fire suppression?
A very old equipment from 1991 is used in the ChNPP zone, machines constantly stall. Firefighters protection doesn’t meet safety standards. Firefighters are subjected to high risk since they extinguish burning without respirators. Moreover, their protective suits should be changed every two hours. Also, the decontamination of clothes should be done and all clothes should be checked on a special device before wearing it. Unfortunately, all these actions are unable to be performed.


What are the losses from fire extinguishing in the Chernobyl zone?

80-100 hours of suppressing a fire with an aircraft costs approximately a couple of million hryvnas.

 

Correspondent – Ekateryna Krasnoskaya

 

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