The incident occurred on Thursday, April 1. Volunteer firefighters from Różyniec:
7:25 p.m. – dispatch to a grass fire on wasteland in Kraśnik Dolny.
The fire was extinguished. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Firefighters from Bolesławiec and Różyniec 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. According to 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, there were 55,912 grass fires. More than 24,151 hectares of grassland burned.
Stoppozaromtraw.pl:
The transition from winter to spring is a period in which the number of grass fires in meadows and agricultural wasteland rises sharply. This is caused by the burning of dry grass and plant remains. Areas of dried vegetation from the previous year are excellent fuel, which, combined with human irresponsibility, results in 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 young 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 (running fast is almost 19 km/h, while cycling fast is around 30 km/h). Wind also helps spread the flames. When wind speeds are high and its direction changes 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 affected?
National Headquarters of the State Fire Service:
People often lose everything they have acquired over a lifetime in such fires. There is also a direct threat to the health and lives of people and animals.
What are the economic consequences of grass fires?
Fires in meadows and forests cause enormous material losses. The accumulated wealth of many generations often goes up in smoke. The estimated losses resulting from grass fires in 2019 amounted to PLN 40,974,800. The average duration of a grass-fire firefighting operation is 54 minutes.
In 2018, firefighters were dispatched to grass and agricultural-wasteland fires every nine minutes on average.
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 tracks, reed beds and rushes.”
- Article 131: “Anyone who burns meadows, pastures, wasteland, ditches, roadside strips, railway tracks, 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 section 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: making fires outside places designated for this purpose by the forest owner or forest district manager, using an open flame, burning the topsoil and plant remains.”
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, reprimand or a fine, which under Article 24 § 1 may range from PLN 20 to PLN 5,000.
- Article 163 § 1 of the Act of June 6, 1997, Criminal Code (Journal of Laws 1997, No. 88, item 553, as amended): “Anyone who causes an event 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 damage
State Fire Service Headquarters:
In 2019, during rescue operations related to extinguishing 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 a large number of firefighters and rescue resources. Every intervention of this kind is a significant financial expense.
Firefighters emphasize:
Firefighters involved in extinguishing grass fires in meadows and wasteland may at the same time be needed to save people’s lives, health and property elsewhere. It may happen that, because of people’s recklessness related to burning grass, they will not reach in time the places where they are urgently needed.