ЕкоРайон: What to do if you see a fire in the ecosystem

Source: ЕкоРайон

2023 is one of the wettest years in the last 10 years. But even despite the high humidity, the natural areas still continue to grow.

According to the State Emergency Service, in one day on July 11, 99.7 hectares of land in Ukraine were engulfed in fire: an area the size of 200 football fields was on fire. This is reported on the Danube-Carpathian Program page.

During this time, 372 rescuers of the State Emergency Service and 84 units of special equipment were involved in the elimination of 81 fires in ecosystems.

“In 90% of cases, the cause of fires in open areas is a person. A discarded match or a match, burning dry grass, even a small fire can turn into a large-scale fire, the elimination of which requires significant human and financial resources,” environmentalists emphasize.

What to do if you see dry vegetation burning, but you don’t have water, a rag, or a shovel to put out the fire:

Before you start, weigh the risks: is it safe for your life, what is the force of the wind, the height of the flame and the smoke.
Take on the matter only if you are sure that it does not threaten your life and health!
Break some long green branches and extinguish the flames with them. If the “broom” made of branches is large enough, it will be even more effective to extinguish the grass than with a shovel or cloth.
Even if you manage to put out the fire, still call the fire department to flood the fire with water – otherwise the fire may start again, especially during the dry season.
Be especially careful when handling fire in natural areas during heat and drought.