"Russian Wildfires Raise Chernobyl Radiation Fears"

"MOSCOW – Russian emergency workers have increased forest patrols in a western region previously contaminated by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, trying to prevent wildfires from spreading harmful radiation, officials said Wednesday.

At least six wildfires were spotted in the Bryansk region this week — the part of Russia that suffered the most from the Chernobyl catastrophe in what was then Soviet Ukraine — and fire crews quickly extinguished all of them, Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman Irina Yegorushkina said. Her agency also had reported sporadic wildfires last week, saying all had been put out.

Radiation experts from Moscow conducted a thorough check of the Bryansk area, which borders Belarus and Ukraine, and concluded there has been no increase in radiation levels, she said."

Vladimir Isachenkov reports for the Associated Press August 11, 2010.

SEE ALSO:

"Climate Change 'Partly To Blame' for Sweltering Moscow" (BBC News)

"Russia's Fires Cause "Brown Cloud," May Hit Arctic" (Reuters)

"Heat Seen Continuing In European Russia for 10 days" (Reuters)