KIEV, July 1 – The fires in the Chernobyl forest preserve are under control, says the Ukrainian State Emergency Situations Service.

"The fires are being fought round the clock, but this is complicated by the fact that the swampy terrain makes it impossible for special vehicles to get close enough to the fire seats. As of 4:30 p.m., 30 fire seats were being dealt with. At the present time, the situation remains under control, and the fire has been kept from spreading to the forest areas within the exclusion zone," State Emergency Situations Service first deputy chief Oleh Melchutsky said at a news briefing in Kiev on Tuesday.

The radiation level at the place is currently 25 microroentgens/hour, while the normal level is 50 microroentgens/hour.