Editing Chernobyl exclusion zone (section)

===Grass and forest fires===
[[File:Chernobyl_Exclusion_Zone_Rosoha_Forest_fire,_2020-04-13.jpg|thumb|Forest fire on 4 April 2020]]
It is known that fires can make contamination mobile again.<ref name="Dusha-Gudym-1992"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maik.ru/abstract/radchem/4/radchem0102_abstract.pdf |title=Forest Fire as a Factor of Environmental Redistribution of Radionuclides Originating from Chernobyl Accident |publisher=Maik.ru |access-date=2015-10-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327135945/http://www.maik.ru/abstract/radchem/4/radchem0102_abstract.pdf |archive-date=27 March 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/iffn/country/rus/rus_16.htm|title=News from the Forest Fire Situation in the Radioactively Contaminated Regions|first=Eduard P.|last=Davidenko|author2=Johann Georg Goldammer|date=January 1994|access-date=3 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426031324/http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/iffn/country/rus/rus_16.htm|archive-date=26 April 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Radioactive fires threaten Russia and Europe|url=http://newsfromrussia.com/main/2002/09/18/36851.html|date=18 September 2002|publisher=Pravda.ru|first=Mikhail|last=Antonov|author2=Maria Gousseva|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502031128/http://newsfromrussia.com/main/2002/09/18/36851.html|archive-date=2 May 2009}}</ref> In particular, V.I. Yoschenko ''et al.'' reported on the possibility of increased mobility of [[caesium]], [[strontium]], and plutonium due to [[grass fire|grass]] and [[forest fire]]s.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Yoschenko | display-authors = etal   | year = 2006 | title =Resuspension and redistribution of radionuclides during grassland and forest fires in the Chernobyl exclusion zone: part I. Fire experiments | journal = Journal of Environmental Radioactivity | volume = 86 | issue = 2| pages = 143–163 | doi=10.1016/j.jenvrad.2005.08.003 | pmid=16213067| bibcode = 2006JEnvR..86..143Y }}</ref> As an experiment, fires were set and the levels of the radioactivity in the air downwind of these fires were measured.

Grass and forest fires have happened inside the contaminated zone, releasing [[radioactive fallout]] into the atmosphere. In 1986, a series of fires destroyed {{convert|2,336|ha|acre|0}} of forest, and several other fires have since burned within the {{convert|30|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} zone. A serious fire in early May 1992 affected {{convert|500|ha|acre|-1|abbr=on}} of land, including {{convert|270|ha|acre|abbr=on}} of forest. This resulted in a great increase in the levels of caesium-137 in airborne dust.<ref name="Dusha-Gudym-1992">{{cite web|url=http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/iffn/country/rus/rus_7.htm|title=Forest Fires on the Areas Contaminated by Radionuclides from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident|last=Dusha-Gudym|first=Sergei I.|date=August 1992|work=IFFN|pages=No.&nbsp;7, p.&nbsp;4–6|publisher=Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC)|access-date=2008-06-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610173251/http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/iffn/country/rus/rus_7.htm|archive-date=10 June 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/iffn/iffn_32/20-Dusha-Gudym.pdf |title= Transport of Radioactive Materials by Wildland fires in the Chernobyl Accident Zone: How to Address the Problem |access-date= 3 May 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090327135944/http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/iffn/iffn_32/20-Dusha-Gudym.pdf |archive-date= 27 March 2009 |url-status= dead |df= dmy-all }}&nbsp;{{small|(416&nbsp;KB)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ppoz.pl/down/pwa/fr506a.pdf |title= Chernobyl Forests. Two Decades After the Contamination |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070629154237/http://www.ppoz.pl/down/pwa/fr506a.pdf |archive-date= 29 June 2007 }}&nbsp;{{small|(139&nbsp;KB)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/y2795e/y2795e08a.htm|title=Fire prevention in radiation contaminated forests|last=Allard|first= Gillian|publisher=Forestry Department, [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]]|access-date=2008-06-18}}</ref>

In 2010, [[2010 Russian wildfires|a series of wildfires]] affected contaminated areas, specifically the surroundings of [[Bryansk]] and border regions with Belarus and [[Ukraine]].<ref name="dw">{{cite web |url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5890452,00.html |author=Deutsche Welle |title=Russian fires hit Chernobyl-affected areas, threatening recontamination |date=11 August 2010|author-link=Deutsche Welle }}</ref> The Russian government claimed that there was no discernible increase in radiation levels, while [[Greenpeace]] accused the government of denial.<ref name=dw/>

On 4 April 2020, [[2020 Chernobyl Exclusion Zone wildfires|a fire]] broke in the Zone on at least 20 hectares of Ukrainian forests. Approximately 90 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the blaze, as well as a helicopter and two aircraft. Radiation is still present in these forests, making firefighting more difficult; authorities stated that there was no danger to the surrounding population. The previous reported fire was in June 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/chernobyl-radioactive-forest-near-nuclear-plant-catches-fire/a-53019394|title=Chernobyl: Radioactive forest near nuclear plant catches fire {{pipe}} DW {{pipe}} 04.04.2020|website=DW.COM}}</ref>