KYIV, July 8 – Forest fires in eastern Ukraine that have killed five people and left dozens homeless are being brought under control by firefighters, AFP reported Wednesday citing officials.

Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the situation was improving and he had seen no new fires during a fly-over with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other senior officials.

The blaze began on Monday in Luhansk region and engulfed Smolyanynove, a village just 20km from the front line of Ukraine's war with Russia-backed separatists.

Pine trees were still smoldering on Wednesday near the village which was dotted with the remains of charred houses.

More than 1,200 firefighters, rescue workers and National Guard are fighting blazes in three locations, Avakov said.

Firefighting planes were also dispatched despite fears that Russian-backed separatists could shoot them down.

More than 100 homes have been destroyed entirely in two villages, with dozens more damaged, according to the ministry.

An AFP correspondent in Smolyanynove saw animal corpses and scorched buildings with their window panes melted and gardens burned.

The village was enveloped in thick smoke with flames still visible in nearby forests on Wednesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the scene on Wednesday.

Avakov said the wind had died down since Tuesday, making it easier to battle the blaze.

"We flew over the site and we did not see any additional fires ... we do not see a threat," he said.

Twenty people have been hospitalized, the Attorney General's office has said, and some elderly residents' children have been evacuated from the region, according to governor Sergiy Gaidai.

The blaze began on Monday in Lugansk region and engulfed Smolyaninove, a village just 20 kilometres from the front line of Ukraine's war with Russia-backed separatists.

The police said it was considering three possible causes, including extreme weather conditions, careless handling of fire, and deliberate arson.

Ukraine has been hit by a heatwave in recent days - including in the east of the country - which is believed to have contributed to the spread of the fire. (afp/ez)