Wildfires in radioactive areas found to heighten river contamination risks

Wildfires in radiologically contaminated areas pose substantial risks, such as the redistribution of radionuclides and increased radiation exposure for residents. A team of researchers from the University of Tsukuba investigated the effects of a large wildfire that occurred in April 2020 within the Chornobyl exclusion zone in Ukraine, focusing on the redistribution of 137Cs and 90Sr in the rivers flowing through the region.