Grass fires are of no benefit, yet dozens of people every year throw a match to get rid of last year's dry grass. Burning dry grass only destroys plants, dispersing beneficial microelements for the soil. This leads to the impoverishment of vegetation, increased acidity, and reduced soil fertility. Almost all animals and insects that live in dry grass or on the ground surface die in a severe grass fire. Burnt bird nests, rodents, young hares, and hedgehogs are very often found in the ashes. Fire causes irreparable damage to biodiversity.
A fire on a household plot or simply near buildings can easily cause a fire and damage, or even completely destroy, structures or parked vehicles nearby. It is difficult to stop a raging flame, and not only property can be damaged, but also the arsonist themselves or citizens who happen to be at the scene of the fire. Employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations are aware of cases not only when the fire spread to buildings before the eyes of the perpetrators, but also when people died due to grass fires.
To avoid disaster, the following recommendations must be followed:
- never burn grass. In addition to being harmful to plants and animals, grass fires can also be dangerous to humans. Do not leave a burning fire unattended. Thoroughly extinguish cigarette butts and matches before discarding them;
- if you notice a fire, do not pass by. You can extinguish the grass that has started to burn on your own. When extinguishing with improvised means, you can beat out the flame from the edge of the fire with a bundle of twigs or branches of deciduous trees, or throw sand onto the edge of the fire;
- after extinguishing the fire, do not leave until you are sure that the fire will not reignite;
- if you realize that you cannot extinguish the flame on your own, immediately report the incident by calling 101, 112, and try to leave the scene of the fire as quickly as possible.