Fire hazard period: follow safety rules

Annually, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations identify careless handling of fire by citizens and burning of dry vegetation as the main causes of fires in natural ecosystems, that is, the human factor. It is precisely human carelessness, negligence, and disregard for basic safety rules that lead to the most unpredictable consequences.

During the fire hazard period, be careful with fire!

• - Under no circumstances should you burn grass. Besides being harmful to plants and animals, burning can also be dangerous for people.
• - Refrain from using open flames in forests, on peat bogs, and on private plots. The risk of fire development is especially high in strong winds.
• - Do not leave a burning fire unattended. Carefully extinguish cigarette butts and matches before disposing of them.
• - If you notice a fire, do not walk past. You can extinguish the grass that is starting to burn on your own. When extinguishing with improvised means, you can beat down the flames from the edge of the fire with a bundle of twigs or branches of 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 realize that you cannot extinguish the flames on your own, immediately report the incident by calling 101 or 112 and try to leave the fire area as quickly as possible.
• - Pay attention to the bans on visiting forests.

Remember that illegal burning of dry vegetation will incur a penalty. According to Article 16.40 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, the fine will range from 10 to 30 basic units. Starting fires in prohibited places will cost up to 12 basic units (Article 16.41 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). However, if the damage turns out to be particularly large, criminal liability may arise.