Grass fires

With the arrival of spring, rescuers receive a large number of calls daily reporting fires in ecosystems – these include forest and peat fires, as well as grass and shrub fires. Burning grass brings no benefit; however, dozens of people every year strike a match to get rid of last year's dry grass. Burning dry grass only destroys plants, dispersing beneficial microelements for the soil.

Fire on a household plot or simply near buildings can easily become the cause of ignition and cause damage, or even completely destroy buildings or parked vehicles nearby. A raging flame is difficult to stop, and not only property can be harmed, but also the arsonist themselves or citizens who accidentally find themselves at the fire scene. Ministry of Emergency Situations workers are aware of cases where, right before the eyes of the perpetrators, the fire spread to buildings, as well as cases where people died due to burning grass.

To avoid disaster, it is necessary to follow these recommendations:

• under no circumstances should you burn grass. Besides being harmful to plants and animals, burning can also be dangerous for humans. Do not leave a burning fire unattended. Thoroughly extinguish cigarette butts and matches before throwing them away;
• if you notice a fire – do not walk past. You can extinguish the grass that is starting to burn by yourself. When extinguishing with improvised means, you can beat down the flames at the edge of the fire with a bundle of twigs or branches from deciduous trees, or throw sand on the edge of the fire;
• after extinguishing the fire, do not leave until you are sure that the fire will not reignite;
• if you understand that you cannot extinguish the flames by yourself, immediately report the incident by calling 101 or 112 and try to leave the fire scene as quickly as possible.

It is certainly permissible to burn waste on your plot, but it is necessary to follow basic safety rules so that simple cleaning of the plot does not turn into a tragedy. This should only be done in calm weather. It is better to build bonfires far from buildings, forests, or straw stacks. If none of the above is nearby, you are ready to monitor the fire, and you have a fire extinguisher or a bucket of water at hand, then you are doing everything correctly.

It is also worth reminding that for burning dry vegetation and for failing to take measures to eliminate burning, in accordance with Article 16.40 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus, administrative liability is provided in the form of a fine ranging from 10 to 30 basic units.