[ RadSafe ] Chernobyl's radioactive trees and the forest fire risk

[Lawrence Jacobi]

According to the story below, Professore Sergiy Zibtsev, from the Forestry Institute at the Kiev University of Life Sciences, is evaluating the potential for a fire in the pine forest around Chernobyl to spread major amounts of radioactivity to offsite areas, including the Ukraine and Western Europe.  While my intuition tells me that will not be the case, I was wondering if anyone who is more experienced than me in terrestrial radiation ecology has more insight or a different opinion.

I remember reading about the "red forest" around Chernobyl caused by the death of the existing pine trees, which I attributed to the massive doses received by the forest 25 years ago; but, not necessarily attributable to ongoing irradiation from contamination.  I also remember reading about an experimental reactor in the USA that was purposelly allowed to go critical while suspended in air, leading to the death of nearby pine trees.  Does anyone remember the name of that facility? 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18721292