In the Vitebsk region, dachas, calf sheds, and even people are burning due to the thoughtless burning of dry grass

Fields and lake shores blackened by soot, burnt-out sheds and houses, and sometimes even human casualties – these are the consequences of irresponsible burning of dry vegetation every year.

This March turned out to be surprisingly sunny and snowless. However, the fine weather brought not only the pleasure of walking under the spring sky but also a lot of trouble. Residents of the Vitebsk region began to tidy up their summer cottages and household plots, clearing them of last year's leaves and grass. This is, of course, a necessary task. It's just a pity that when cleaning up, many citizens, as they say, take the path of least resistance: instead of raking up the debris and removing it from the territory, they prefer to strike a match and wait for the weeds to disappear in the fire. At the same time, people forget that the flame can easily spread to buildings. For example, this happened last Monday in the village of Gorodnyansky Mokh, Vitebsk district.

The next day, we visited the scene during a raid on rural settlements with the press secretary of the regional Ministry of Emergency Situations, Marina Fando, and the first deputy head of the Vitebsk Regional Department of Emergency Situations, Sergey Loveikin. Before our eyes appeared a bleak picture: the burnt, dilapidated frame of a shed and black patches of scorched grass.

— We don't know how the fire started. We don't live here permanently; we use the house as a summer cottage. I arrived from the city immediately after my neighbor called and told me about the fire, — explained the owner's sister. — We clear the weeds on our plot on time, so we don't need to burn them.

Indeed, there are no overgrown areas around the house. However, some neighboring plots cannot boast the same order: dry last year's grass is everywhere. In some places, black patches from the fire are visible. It is quite likely that on Monday, the wind helped the flame reach the outbuildings.

— It has been preliminarily established that the local population was burning dry vegetation during the territory cleanup, — Sergey Loveikin commented on the incident. — As a result, the shed caught fire. Further development of the fire was prevented by the timely arrival of the Ministry of Emergency Situations units; they did not allow the fire to spread to the residential building.

This time, everything ended relatively well because a neighbor living across the road saw the smoke and managed to call rescuers. But the outcome could have been much more tragic. Avoiding such situations is quite simple: clear the grass in the autumn and do not set fire to what remains in the spring. Especially since the legislation prohibits it. But some citizens feign surprise when they hear about the possibility of punishment.

— I can't clear the weeds, I don't have a scythe, but I need to tidy up. So I burn the grass, — the neighbor of the victims in the village of Gorodnyansky Mokh told the Ministry of Emergency Situations employees. — I had no idea that this was forbidden. But I always watch the fire and have nothing to do with yesterday's fire!

— According to the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses, for burning dry vegetation, as well as for failure to take measures to extinguish fires, a fine of 10 to 40 basic units is imposed. For lighting fires in unauthorized places — up to 12 basic units, — Marina Fando explained to her. — Old grass should be raked, not burned. By your actions, you are violating the law.

And such violators, as the raid showed, can be found in many settlements. During the trip, we repeatedly saw pillars of smoke rising above the roofs. Someone was burning last year's leaves in their garden, and someone was solving more serious problems. For example, in the village of Gorodniany, one of the household plots turned out to be almost surrounded by a wide burnt strip. Here and there, flames flickered on its border. Men sitting on a bench told the rescuers that the dry grass had caught fire from a campfire lit by visiting fishermen near the lake. At first, the fire destroyed the coastal reeds, and then it spread to the field, and now they have to extinguish it with improvised means so that it doesn't reach the houses.

— The causes of such fires are discarded cigarette butts or unextinguished campfires, as well as intentional burning of dry vegetation, — Marina Fando explained. — Some violators simply cite ignorance that such actions are prohibited. Others believe that this way the territory will be cleared faster and green grass will start to grow.

However, the myth about the benefits of spring fires, prevalent among the population, has been completely refuted by Leonard Merzhvinsky, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Botany at PSU named after V. M. Masherov. He is convinced that burning old vegetation causes far more harm than apparent benefit.

— Last year's grass is solar energy accumulated in the form of biomass. It is usually processed by various living organisms and involved in the biological cycle. When burned, this energy simply goes into space, — said Leonard Mikhailovich. — Regular burning of vegetation leads to soil infertility and disrupts its mechanical composition. The mineral substances formed as a result of combustion are easily washed away by water. Biodiversity decreases, as the seeds of annual plants, bird clutches that build nests on the ground (for example, lapwings, larks) perish in the fire. If the flames spread to the forest, the entire undergrowth layer burns out, and its restoration will take decades.

Burning grass also poses a great danger to people. In the Vitebsk region, in recent days, numerous fires have occurred for this reason, and a lot of buildings and property have already been destroyed. For example, last Saturday in the village of Zhuki Gornye, Sharkovshchinsky district, the fire spread from the burning grass to the calf barn of OJSC "Knyazh". Workers of the agricultural enterprise, together with rescuers, managed to evacuate the animals, but the building suffered significant damage. On Monday, a dacha house burned down in Ulshchino (Miory district), a house, a bathhouse, and a shed were damaged by fire in the village of Falevichy in Postavy district, as well as a dacha and outbuildings in Kletchino (Shumilinsky district). On Tuesday, in Tolochin district, while burning dry vegetation near her home in the village of Zelenoye, a pensioner could not cope with the flame and was severely burned, receiving burns to 85% of her body. An ambulance, called by neighbors, took the victim to the Tolochin Central Regional Hospital. Despite all the efforts of the medics who tried to save the old woman, she died the next day. And on March 18, the flame claimed the life of a Vitebsk resident: a dead man was found on Karl Marx Street in a burnt-out area of land.

The number of recorded cases of burning dry grass in the Vitebsk region alone has exceeded two hundred in one week. If we imagine how many similar incidents remained, as they say, behind the scenes, the picture becomes alarming. Ministry of Emergency Situations employees once again appeal to the residents of the region: do not try to make your work on the plot easier with the help of fire! Flame is a poor helper; it is better to use garden tools for cleaning. Then neither buildings nor people will be harmed. If you still decide to light a fire near your house, you can do it only in calm weather, the distance to buildings should be at least 10 m, and to the forest - at least 30 m. And you must control the burning.

We must not forget about safety rules for those who go to relax in nature. After picnics in forests, mountains of garbage and unextinguished fires often remain. This is, of course, unacceptable. It is necessary to always clean up after yourself and extinguish smoldering coals with water or cover them with earth. In addition, in connection with the start of school holidays, parents should once again remind their children about the consequences of careless handling of fire.

Liliya Ivchenko, "Vitebskiye Vesti"