Ukraine informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that the firefighters are trying to extinguish wildfires near Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, announced the Agency via Twitter.
"Slight increases in caesium air concentrations detected in Kyiv and at two nuclear power plants, but they did not pose significant radiological concerns," said the Agency. IAEA also informed that it collaborates with Ukrainian regulators to obtain further information about the state of affairs in the Chernobyl isolation zone.
Firefighters were trying to extinguish wildfires near #Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, #Ukraine told the IAEA. Slight increases in caesium air concentrations detected in Kyiv and at two nuclear power plants, but they did not pose significant radiological concerns, it said.
— IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) March 23, 2022
The news about several (four or five) wildfires near Chornobyl was first reported on March 21. These fires were quickly extinguished and did not affect the level of radioactivity. Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the surrounding isolation zone have been under the control of the invading russian forces since the early days of the war. Last week, damage to the power grid caused an electricity outage to the nuclear waste storage until the occupiers allowed Ukrainian maintenance teams to do repairs.