Responsibility for burning dry vegetation

With the arrival of spring, the fire hazard period begins, as people start tidying up around their homes by burning rubbish and last year's grass. Every year, rescuers continue to respond to hundreds, if not thousands, of fires related to seasonal burning.

In 2022, 7990 fires occurred in natural ecosystems across the republic, resulting in 17 fatalities. Of these, 7258 cases involved the burning of grass and shrubs over an area of 1829.1 hectares. The primary causes of ignition are traditionally careless handling of fire and the burning of dry vegetation, i.e., the human factor.

In Belarus, the burning of dry vegetation is prohibited by law. According to Article 16.40 of the Code of Administrative Offences, for the illegal burning of dry vegetation, grass in the stalk, as well as stubble and post-harvest residues in fields, or failure to take measures to extinguish such fires, guilty persons shall be brought to administrative responsibility in the form of a fine ranging from 10 to 30 base units. In accordance with Article 16.41, setting fires in prohibited places is punishable by a fine of up to 12 base units. In cases where damage is caused to a particularly large extent, criminal liability shall ensue.

When choosing a method for waste disposal, it is best to prioritise safe options. If you do decide to light a fire on your property, do not neglect simple precautions. This should only be done in calm weather. Fires are best lit away from buildings, forests, or haystacks.

Basic rules for lighting fires and burning rubbish:

fires should be lit under the condition of ensuring continuous monitoring of the burning and smouldering process;

the area for lighting fires must be cleared of combustible substances and materials, and dry vegetation;

a container of water, sand, or a fire extinguisher must be readily available to quickly extinguish the flames;

the burning process must be carried out in such a way that flames and sparks do not fall on combustible elements of buildings, outbuildings and structures, or on stored combustible substances and materials;

upon leaving, embers must be extinguished until smouldering completely ceases.

Not permitted:

burning of dry vegetation, stubble;

lighting fires on peat soils, under tree crowns;

using flammable and combustible liquids (except for liquids specifically designed for lighting) to ignite fires and charcoal.

Another spring "problem" is outdoor recreation enthusiasts. Going for a barbecue, people choose picturesque places.
But when leaving, they forget to extinguish the fire, leave broken glass, and throw cigarette butts into the grass. However, any external ignition source, such as a carelessly thrown cigarette butt in a field of dry grass, can provoke fires over significant areas. Wind gusts can spread fire over long distances, burning everything in their path.

To ensure that outdoor recreation is truly safe:

use a brazier or grill only if continuous monitoring of the burning and smouldering process is ensured;

do not use flammable liquids for lighting;

do not leave unextinguished fires, matches, cigarette butts, or glass bottles (they act like magnifying glasses in the sun, focusing sunlight and igniting grass) in recreation areas.

Do not walk past burning grass! If you cannot extinguish the fire yourself, report fires to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) by calling 101
or 112.