A ban on forest visits has been introduced in 53 districts of Belarus. This information is posted on the website of the Ministry of Forestry, according to BELTA.
Restrictions are in effect in Polotsk, Senno and Sharkovshchina districts of Vitebsk region, Malorita and Baranovichi districts of Brest region, six districts of Grodno region (Ostrovets, Smorgon, Oshmyany, Ivye, Lida and Voronovo), 10 districts of Mogilev region (Krasnopolye, Kostyukovichi, Khotimsk, Bykhov, Osipovichi, Shklov, Mogilev, Chausy, Glusk and Belynichi), 13 districts of Minsk region (Stolbtsy, Dzerzhinsk, Minsk, Smolevichi, Slutsk, Starodorozhsky, Soligorsk, Lyuban, Borisov, Volozhin, Uzda, Pukhovichi and Cherven) and almost the entire Gomel region (except for Oktyabrsky and Zhytkavichy districts).
Decisions on the introduction and lifting of the ban on forest visits are made by local authorities upon the request of forestry institutions or district emergency departments. The Ministry of Forestry website features an interactive map that allows tracking the introduction and lifting of restrictions in one's region (http://www.mlh.by/maps/map.php). The map is updated promptly.
The Ministry of Forestry has 257 fire-chemical stations and 660 fire-fighting equipment depots, equipped with the necessary fire extinguishing means, to combat forest fires. The following are used: 545 fire trucks, over 360 water tankers, 355 forest fire modules for rapid response, 1803 motor pumps and 12.6 thousand knapsack sprayers, and over 1 thousand soil cultivation implements for creating mineralized firebreaks. To detect forest fires early, a network of over 620 fire observation towers and masts has been established, of which over 530 are equipped with video surveillance systems.
Unusually hot weather with temperatures significantly above the climatic norm has set in Belarus, leading to an increased level of fire hazard. The heat is expected to persist until the end of the week. There will be predominantly no precipitation, with possible light local showers. An orange level of danger due to heat has been declared in Belarus for June 13-15.