Drone Footage Shows Chernobyl Exclusion Zone After Recent Fires

The video was captured Stanislav Kapralov and his friends after the wildfires spread through the area near to the former nuclear reactor.

The clip shows the charred trees, while smoke can be seen rising from some areas.

Huge areas of land can be seen completely devastated by the fires, with blackened trees stretching out into the distance.

At one point, a lone fire engine can be seen making its way through the deserted roads.

Kapralov said he wanted to fully capture the atmosphere in the area following the fires - and it's fair to say he has.

He went on to explain that in the 30-odd years since the Chernobyl disaster, the flora and fauna had slowly been recovering. However, the recent fires have now torn through the area, killing plants and wildlife.

According to reports, the fires were started by locals who had been burning rubbish around their homes and then taking the still smouldering remains to a landfill site.

The remains caught fire and the fire quickly spread due to strong winds. The residents attempted to put out the fires themselves, before calling firefighters when they realised it had got out of hand.

Smoke from the fires could be seen more than 60 miles away in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev.

Authorities have since announced that the fires are out but there is still some 'smouldering' on parts of the forest floor.

Last week, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the emergency services for their 'courage' in dealing with the fire.

In a post on 13 April, he said: "I'm closely monitoring the situation in the Chornobyl zone. I know firefighters are doing their best. I am thankful for their courage. I'll hear a report on the fires from Chairman of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine Mykola Chechotkin tomorrow [April 14].

"Conclusions will follow soon after. The public must know the truth and be safe."