Consequences of burning dry vegetation

As a result of dry vegetation fires, the Republic of Belarus suffers enormous economic and environmental losses, and irreparable damage is inflicted on nature. Fires are recorded in Belarus annually and pose a significant threat to biological and landscape diversity.

Every year, with the onset of spring, rescuers have to deal with the problem of spring dry grass fires and an increase in the number of fires caused by the burning of last year's dry vegetation. The problem is that many people, when tidying up their own yards, household plots, or summer cottages, do not think about the consequences that burning garbage and dry grass can lead to.

Spring fires, as the experience of recent years has shown, have become a powerful destructive factor for the environment. When dry grass is burned, the root system of plants is damaged, the soil and vegetation are depleted by high temperatures, the fertile soil layer is destroyed, and beneficial shoots, insects, and animals perish. But, most importantly, it is not only nature that suffers. Burning dry grass often leads to fires and human casualties. From burning grass, residential buildings, outbuildings, sheds with livestock catch fire, and people die. Not infrequently, the fire spreads to forest areas and can take on threatening proportions, turning into peat and forest fires.

With the arrival of the first warm days, and especially weekends, many townspeople flock to the forests for outdoor recreation. In doing so, they often light bonfires for warmth and cooking, and children sometimes do it even for fun. As a rule, the main cause of forest fires remains the same human factor – unextinguished bonfires, discarded matches, and cigarette butts.

Responsibility

In accordance with Article 15.57 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus, burning dry vegetation, grass on the root, as well as stubble and post-harvest residues in fields, or failure to take measures to extinguish fires on land plots, entails a fine of 10 to 40 base units.

Article 15.58 of the Code of Administrative Offences provides for a fine for lighting bonfires in prohibited places of up to 12 base units.

According to Article 15.29 of the Code of Administrative Offences, for violation of fire safety requirements in forests or peatlands, which resulted in the destruction or damage of forests or peatlands, a fine of 25 to 50 base units is provided.

Existing legislation provides for criminal liability for such violations in accordance with Articles 270 and 276 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.

Recommendations.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations reminds that strict adherence to fire safety rules will help you avoid tragic consequences.