Eco-solutions: Chornobyl zone to install towers as fire protection measures

The Ukrainian ecology ministry plans to set up observation towers in the Chornobyl zone to detect and combat forest fires promptly.

The Minister of Environment Protection and Natural Resources, Ruslan Strilets, reported that on the air of the "Edyni Novyny" marathon.

What is the problem?

As the minister noted:

"Any forest fire is 100% human factor. The forest cannot catch fire on its own."

What is the solution?

Therefore, observation towers will be installed in the Chornobyl zone to prevent and respond quickly to forest fires.

How does it work?

"We are looking ahead [in the issue of preventing forest fires in the Chornobyl zone – ed.]. We already have very positive cases, particularly regarding how forest fire protection works in the Zhytomyr region. This is a unique, multi-level system that costs little. It contains special surveillance cameras, special mobile brigades, and special response. I set the task of scaling this experience to the Chornobyl zone with appropriate towers, surveillance, control panels, and appropriate fire equipment," he said.

Strilets clarified that the monitoring system will be developed with donor funds. More than 30 million dollars had previously been allocated for this.

"This year, on the anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, submitted to the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine's parliament – ed.] a draft law on the ratification of a special account of depositors for the Chornobyl zone. We have been working with donors for over a year. At the time of the introduction of this law, we had almost $15 million in donor aid in the account. After ratification, we have increased this number by more than twice. And we want to direct these funds to construct such a system of monitoring and liquidating any fires in the Chornobyl zone," the minister said.

He added that the second goal of funding is to improve the conditions of workers' stay at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.

The head of the Ministry of Environment also noted that the exclusion zone is currently closed and under guard, minimizing the possibility of fires.

"The Chornobyl zone is currently under protection. Therefore, the possibility of a fire is minimized. Fires can occur due to hostilities but are extinguished very quickly," Strilets said.

For reference:

It should be noted that the state enterprise "Forests of Ukraine" is creating an extensive network of recreation centers in the country's regions, which will become one method of combating forest fires.