Since the beginning of the year, 17 forest fires have been extinguished in the region, covering an area of 17 hectares, 1 peat bog fire has been extinguished over a total area of 0.8 hectares, and 123 grass and shrub fires have been extinguished over a total area of 40.77 hectares.
Since the beginning of the year, 17 forest fires have been extinguished in the region, covering an area of 17 hectares, 1 peat bog fire has been extinguished over a total area of 0.8 hectares, and 123 grass and shrub fires have been extinguished over a total area of 40.77 hectares.
The vast majority of forest fires are caused by careless handling of fire by people or their violation of fire safety requirements when working and resting in the forest. Statistics indicate that in 9 out of 10 cases, humans are responsible for forest fires.
On weekends, the number of fires in the forest reaches 40% of the weekly total; and within a ten-kilometre zone around populated areas, which are most frequently visited by the public, up to 93% of all fires occur.
Most forest fires are caused by campfires, which are lit for warmth, cooking, repelling insects, and even just for fun. Young people relaxing in nature have become a particularly numerous army of arsonists in recent years.
Many fires are caused by smokers who throw unextinguished matches and cigarette butts in the forest. Forest fires can also occur for other reasons. For example, from unextinguished cigarette butts thrown from train windows, from sparks from engine exhaust pipes, etc.
When in the forest, it is important to remember that the danger of a forest fire starting from an insignificant source of ignition is quite real, especially during dry, warm, and windy weather.
Natural factors that can cause a forest fire include dry thunderstorms, spontaneous combustion of forest debris, etc.
If a fire is detected in or near the forest, involving forest litter, fallen leaves, dry grass, or logging residues, the main task is to prevent the fire from gaining strength and spreading. To do this, the fire should be extinguished, the burning area thoroughly inspected, and it should be confirmed that no embers remain. In cases where the fire cannot be extinguished independently, it is necessary to report the fire to the forestry authorities, local authorities, or the police.
Given that most forest fires are caused by unextinguished campfires, it is best to avoid lighting them in dry, warm, and windy weather. However, if it becomes necessary, simple rules must be observed.
Campfires should be lit in designated areas. If no such area is available, one can be prepared on sandy or pebbly spits along river and lake banks, on forest roads, in quarries, at old fire pits, or on clearings and glades covered with green grass.
It is necessary to clear everything that can burn and cause fire spread from around the campfire within a strip of at least 0.5 meters wide. It is advisable to have water nearby, as well as branches for smothering flames in case of fire spread.
Campfires should not be lit near trees, as this can cause them to die, weaken, reduce growth, and become infested with pests.
Try not to light campfires under the crowns of fir, spruce, or cedar trees, which usually have drooping branches, as well as in young coniferous stands, since needles are excellent combustible material.
Avoid setting up campfires near hollow trees – they pose a fire hazard.
It is unacceptable to light campfires on old logging sites or in areas of damaged forest, i.e., on areas with a large amount of dry combustible materials. In such cases, even a small spark is enough to create a smouldering, unnoticeable source of ignition near the campfire.
The combustion of wood in open areas is always very intense. In dry weather and with wind, burning twigs, leaves, and embers can be carried tens of meters.
When visiting forests, smoking should be avoided. However, if you do smoke, it is important to know that this is dangerous, especially in coniferous stands where there is little green grass and last year's needles, lichens, grass, small branches, and other forest litter dry out significantly during the day. Therefore, it is better to smoke in designated areas or places suitable for campfires and smoking. Smoking while walking in the forest should be avoided, as there is always a risk of carelessly discarding a lit match or cigarette butt, which can result in a fire that its perpetrator may not even be aware of.
Discipline in the forest, conscious behaviour, and strict adherence to simple fire safety rules will guarantee the protection of forests from fires. This is in the interest of each of us.
Due to the establishment of dry weather and in order to prevent forest fires, a ban on visiting forests has been introduced in the Lepel district from May 15, 2023.
In case of detecting a forest fire, immediately report the incident to the rescue service by calling 101 or 112.