ON THE PROHIBITION OF AGRICULTURAL BURNING AND DRY VEGETATION BURNING

The Rosson District Inspectorate for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection reminds of the PROHIBITION of agricultural fires and burning of dry vegetation.

In accordance with Article 16.40 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus:

for illegal burning of dry vegetation, standing crops, as well as stubble and post-harvest residues in fields, or failure to take measures to extinguish fires, guilty persons shall be brought to administrative responsibility in the form of a fine from ten to thirty basic units;

for lighting fires in prohibited places, except for violations of fire safety requirements for which liability is provided for by other articles of the Special Part of the said Code, shall entail the imposition of a fine of up to twelve basic units.

In addition, illegal burning of dry vegetation, standing crops (except for lawns, flower beds, forest litter, living ground cover), as well as stubble and post-harvest residues is a sign of causing harm to the environment.

In accordance with the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of April 11, 2022 No. 219 "On the tariffs for determining the amount of compensation for damage caused to the environment and the procedure for its calculation", the amount of damage caused to the environment during illegal burning of dry vegetation, standing crops (except for lawns, flower beds, forest litter, living ground cover), as well as stubble and post-harvest residues is from 1850 to 7400 rubles per hectare, depending on the type and category of land.

Statistics show that the absolute majority of fires due to dry grass burning are caused by people, and only 5-10% of ecosystem fires are caused by meteorological conditions.

Since a significant part of dry grass fires in spring is carried out with good intentions, it makes sense to mention the apparent benefits of such fires and compare them with the harm caused by grass fires.

The main argument of supporters of burning last year's grass is that it enriches it with ash, as a result of which grass appears faster and grows better in the burned areas.

Experts assure that ash remaining after burning grass does not improve soil quality, as nitrogen compounds are lost (the main part of the nitrogen bound in vegetation is released into the atmosphere, becoming inaccessible to the vast majority of plants).

Mineral elements contained in ash pass into a soluble form and are easily washed away with surface and groundwater. Only a small part of them is absorbed by plants.

After a grass fire, only grasses that reproduce by rhizomes, such as couch grass, regrow. Honey-bearing flowers, cultivated grasses suitable for feeding domestic animals, including haymaking, reproduce by seeds, and seeds burn during grass burning.

The combustion process is accompanied by the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and oxygen is consumed. Fertilizer and pesticide residues burn in the fire, forming volatile toxic organic and inorganic compounds. Burning grass along roads leads to air pollution with heavy metals.

As a result of burning dry grass, the species composition of meadow vegetation and wildlife is impoverished. Everywhere where fires have passed, the former variety of grasses will not be found; weeds will "take over" the freed territory.

Insects, frogs, lizards, and other animals perish in fires. Burning dry grass causes the destruction of clutches and nesting sites of birds such as the mallard, lapwing, reed bunting, common bunting, field lark, wood lark, and crested lark. The nesting period for these birds begins precisely at the beginning of April.

The Rossonsky District Inspectorate of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection appeals to the residents of the district to approach this problem with understanding and a sense of civic duty, and to prevent agricultural fires and the burning of dry vegetation!