Number of fires in Ukraine’s ecosystems and open areas doubles this year, reports SES

The number of wildfires in Ukraine’s ecosystems and open areas has doubled compared to last year. Since the start of 2024, 29,000 fires have been recorded, burning more than 29,000 hectares.

At a briefing held at Media Center Ukraine, Oleksandr Khorunzhiy, Press Officer of Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, highlighted the alarming rise. 

“The number of fires in ecosystems and open areas has risen twofold compared to last summer and the previous year. Since the beginning of the year, we’ve recorded 29,000 fires, which have tragically resulted in 11 deaths and 34 injuries,” Khorunzhiy stated.

He further reported that 1,200 of these fires were caused by enemy shelling. Furthermore, in the past month alone, 9,000 fires have occurred in ecosystems across the country. 

The highest number of fires was recorded in the Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Odesa regions.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news