The incident occurred on Thursday, March 4. Volunteer firefighters from Trzebień:

[...] at 5:13 p.m. we were dispatched to a fire involving wasteland in Trzebień Mały.

The fire was extinguished. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Only firefighters from Trzebień took part in the operation.

In Poland, 153,520 fires were recorded in 2019, including 55,912 grass fires in meadows and agricultural wasteland, accounting for approximately 36.4% of all fires in Poland. As reported by stoppozaromtraw.pl, the highest number of grass fires was recorded in March and April—31,720 in total, accounting for 56.7% of all grass fires in 2019.

In 2019, 55,912 grass fires occurred. More than 24,151 hectares of grassland burned.

Stoppozaromtraw.pl:

The transition from winter to spring is a period when the number of grass fires in meadows and agricultural wasteland rises sharply. This is caused by the burning of dry grass and plant residue. Areas of dried vegetation from the previous year are excellent fuel, which, combined with human irresponsibility, leads to a rapid increase in fires. People are responsible for most grass fires. Unfortunately, many people believe that burning dry grass naturally fertilizes the soil, causing new grass to grow faster and more abundantly and thus bringing economic benefits.

How quickly does such a fire spread?

A fire can spread at more than 20 km/h (a fast run is nearly 19 km/h, while fast cycling is around 30 km/h). Wind also helps the flames spread. When the wind is strong and changes direction suddenly, fires very often get out of control and spread to nearby forests and buildings.

Importantly, during a forest fire, animals panic. Many of them lose their bearings and run straight into the flames!

Are people also among those injured?

National Headquarters of the State Fire Service:

People repeatedly lose everything they own in such fires. They also pose a direct threat to the health and lives of people and animals.

What are the economic consequences of grass fires?

Meadow and forest fires cause enormous material losses. Often, the achievements of many generations go up in smoke. Estimated losses resulting from grass fires in 2019 amounted to PLN 40,974,800. The average time spent extinguishing a grass fire is 54 minutes.

In 2018, firefighters went out to grass and agricultural-wasteland fires on average every 9 minutes.

Is burning grass legal?

Firefighters:

The ban on burning grass is set out in the following legal acts:

  • The Act of April 16, 2004 on nature conservation (Journal of Laws 2018, item 142):
    • Article 131, point 12: “It is prohibited to burn meadows, pastures, wasteland, ditches, roadside strips, railway lines, reed beds and rushes.”
    • Article 131: “Anyone who burns meadows, pastures, wasteland, ditches, roadside strips, railway lines, reed beds or rushes is subject to arrest or a fine.”
  • The Act of September 28, 1991 on forests (Journal of Laws 2017, item 788):
    • Article 30, paragraph 3, point 3: “In forests and forested areas, as well as within 100 meters of the forest boundary, activities and actions that may create a hazard are prohibited, in particular: lighting fires outside places designated for this purpose by the forest owner or forest superintendent, using an open flame, burning the topsoil and plant residue.”

What are the penalties for burning grass?

  • Article 82 of the Act of May 20, 1971, Code of Petty Offenses (Journal of Laws 2018, item 618)—arrest, a reprimand or a fine which, pursuant to Article 24, paragraph 1, may range from PLN 20 to PLN 5,000.
  • Article 163, paragraph 1 of the Act of June 6, 1997, Criminal Code (Journal of Laws 1997, No. 88, item 553, as amended): “Anyone who causes an incident that endangers the life or health of many people or property on a large scale, taking the form of a fire, is subject to imprisonment for between one and 10 years.”

Losses beyond property

State Fire Service Headquarters:

In 2019, during rescue operations involving the extinguishing of grass fires, 183,412,171 liters of water were used, equivalent to the capacity of 49 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Grass fires in wasteland, due to their nature and usually large size, involve large numbers of firefighters and rescue resources. Every such intervention represents a significant financial expense.

Uniformed services emphasize:

Firefighters involved in extinguishing grass fires in meadows and wasteland may at the same time be needed elsewhere to save people’s lives, health and property. It may happen that, because of people’s recklessness in burning grass, they fail to arrive on time where they are urgently needed.