On Saturday morning, rescue workers in the Kyiv region extinguished a fire covering an area of 130 hectares in one of the sections of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, according to the State Emergency Service.
Work is currently continuing at three other hotspots, one of which has already been contained. The situation is under control, and radiation levels are within normal limits, according to a statement on the Telegram channel.
According to Serbian Economist, several major wildfires have been reported in Croatian Dalmatia—on Hvar, in the Šibenik area, in Teljašica Nature Park, in Plata, and near the border with Montenegro, regional media report.
One of the fires near the border with Montenegro has partially spread into Croatian territory. In the Plata area, a forest fire broke out near a power line; local fire departments and emergency services were dispatched to the scene.
On the island of Hvar, a fire broke out in the area of Sv. Nedelja. According to Croatian media reports, the fire engulfed about 10 hectares of pine forest and approached the edges of vineyards. Local firefighters and additional units from the island participated in extinguishing the blaze.
In the Šibenik area, preliminary data indicate that the fire engulfed about 100 hectares of grass, low vegetation, and pine forest. In Telasčića Nature Park, two hotspots remained active—in the area of Jaz Bay and near Mala Proversa, on the eastern side of the park toward the Kornati Islands.
Firefighters, water bombers, an Air Tractor, and other emergency services are involved in extinguishing the fires. In some areas, the situation is complicated by dry vegetation, wind, and difficult-to-access terrain.
For the region, this marks the beginning of a challenging summer period: Dalmatia traditionally remains one of Croatia’s most vulnerable areas in terms of wildfires. The risks are particularly high on the islands, in coastal pine forests, and in areas with high tourist traffic.
There is no talk of a large-scale evacuation of tourists at this time, but authorities and fire departments are urging residents and visitors to the region to monitor official warnings.
Arsenal Insurance has completed the settlement of a major property insurance claim and made two payments totaling over 114 million hryvnias.
The fire occurred on the premises of a large production and warehouse complex in Dnipro. As a result of the fire, the buildings sustained critical damage—only fragments of the structures remained of some of the premises.
Based on the results of technical inspections, the buildings were deemed unsafe: the load-bearing structures completely lost their strength, and some of them collapsed inside the premises. The complex is subject to complete demolition and reconstruction.
The insurance compensation was paid in two installments:
— 51.9 million UAH was paid on May 6, 2026;
— 62.3 million UAH was paid on May 11, 2026.
“Settling such claims is an extremely complex process that requires a large number of technical expert assessments, analysis of the structural condition of the buildings, and a detailed evaluation of the extent of the damage. In this case, it was essentially a matter of the complete destruction of a large complex, so the settlement process was particularly laborious,” commented Arsenal Insurance.
Efforts to extinguish a large-scale forest fire continue in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
“As of 5:00 p.m., the fire had spread across 1,200 hectares—dry weather and strong gusts of wind are contributing to the fire’s spread,” – according to a statement by the State Emergency Service on Telegram on Saturday.
A total of 374 people have been deployed to fight the fire, including 253 rescuers from the State Emergency Service.
“The situation is fully under control,” the State Emergency Service assured.
The state-owned enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” plans to establish over 30,000 km of firebreaks in preparation for the 2026 fire season, the enterprise announced on Facebook.
According to the report, the work is carried out twice a year—in the spring and early fall. Foresters pay particular attention to protecting young coniferous trees, as well as areas along railways and highways.
To carry out this work, the state-owned enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” plans to purchase over 100 cultivators, disc harrows, and 42 special forest plows in 2026 to replace outdated equipment.
The total length of the firebreak network within the state forest fund is 140,000 km. Throughout the fire-hazardous season, the enterprise ensures regular maintenance of these firebreaks, including the removal of dry vegetation and debris to maintain their barrier function.
As reported, the state-owned enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” recorded the first forest fires in the Zakarpattia, Lviv, and Volyn regions in March of this year. The main causes of the incidents were the burning of dry grass in areas bordering the forest fund. The State Forest Guard has already switched to an enhanced patrol regime.
“Forests of Ukraine” reminded the public that burning dry vegetation is punishable by fines ranging from 3,060 UAH to 150,000 UAH, and in some cases carries criminal liability.
On the night of January 1, a major fire broke out at Le Constellation bar during New Year’s celebrations in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana (canton of Valais). According to updated data from the authorities, about 40 people died and another 119 were injured, many with severe burns.
As reported by representatives of the Valais cantonal police at a briefing on January 2, 113 of the 119 victims have already been officially identified. Among them are 71 Swiss citizens, 14 French citizens, 11 Italian citizens, 4 Serbian citizens, and one citizen each from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, and Portugal. The nationality of 14 other victims is still being determined.
A detailed breakdown of the nationalities of the victims has not yet been officially published, as identification is still ongoing. However, the Italian Golf Federation has reported the death of 16-year-old athlete Emanuele Galepini; Reuters has named him as the first confirmed Italian citizen among the victims.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine has not yet received confirmation of the presence of Ukrainian citizens among the dead or injured; the Ukrainian Embassy in Switzerland is in contact with local authorities and law enforcement agencies.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing; among the versions discussed by the media with reference to the investigation is the use of sparklers/spark candles during service in the crowded establishment.
