The incident occurred on May 13. Shortly before 9:00 p.m. firefighters from Warta Bolesławiecka were dispatched to a forest fire in the same locality.
The firefighters: – Upon arriving at the scene, it turned out that approximately 2 m2 of dry grass was burning.
The danger was eliminated; fortunately, no one was injured.
As reported on gov.pl, in 2023 firefighters in Poland intervened 21,206 times in grassland and agricultural wasteland fires. In Lower Silesia alone, there were more than 2,000 interventions.
The government website adds:
Unfortunately, in 2023, grassland and wasteland fires resulted in:
- Number of fatalities: 3
- Number of injured people: 36
- Water used: 58,629 m3 (58,629,431 l)
- Area: 5,774 ha (57.7 km2)
- Total fire losses: PLN 68,992,900
- Average operation duration: 56 min 36 s
- Dispatches to grass fires: an average of every 10 min.
The State Fire Service’s “Stop Grass Fires” public awareness campaign began on March 1. Gov.pl: – For many years, the transition from winter to spring and early spring have been periods when the number of meadow and wasteland fires clearly increases. Many people burn grass and agricultural wasteland, explaining their actions as an attempt to fertilize the soil. For generations, many people have believed that burning grass will make it regrow faster and more abundantly, thereby bringing economic benefits. However, this is completely misguided. Reality shows that burning grass leads to irreversible, adverse changes in the natural environment – the soil becomes depleted, the highly beneficial natural decomposition of plant remains is halted, as is the assimilation of nitrogen from the air. A number of chemical compounds that are poisonous to both people and animals are released into the atmosphere. Burning grass is also the cause of numerous fires, which unfortunately often lead to fatal accidents. Every year, several people die in incidents of this kind.
It adds:
Areas of last year’s dried vegetation, which, because of the vegetation periods occurring at that time, provide excellent fuel, combined with high human activity in this sector, result in a rapid increase in fires. People are responsible for more than 94% of their causes.
Wind also helps spread the fire. People who, against all logic, decide to burn grass are convinced that they are fully in control of the situation and will respond in time if necessary. Unfortunately, they are mistaken, and sometimes it ends in tragedy. In the event of a sudden change in its direction, fires very often get out of control and spread to nearby forests and buildings. In many such fires, people lose everything they own. There is also a direct threat to people’s health and lives.
It also warns:
Those who nevertheless want to take the risk must also reckon with the consequences:
- The fact that such conduct is prohibited is stated, among other places, in the Act of September 1, 2022 – an amendment to the Nature Conservation Act, which added Article 130a, providing that a person who removes vegetation by burning it on agricultural land, railway areas, roadside strips, reed beds or marshes is subject to arrest, restriction of liberty or a fine of up to PLN 30,000.
(…)
point 1. Anyone who removes vegetation by burning it on agricultural land, railway areas, roadside strips, reed beds or marshes is subject to arrest, restriction of liberty or a fine of up to PLN 30,000.- Article 30(3) of the Act of September 28, 1991 on Forests (Journal of Laws of 2017, No. 12, item 59, as amended):
(…) in forests and forested areas, as well as within 100 m 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 open flames, burning the topsoil and plant remains.- Serious penalties apply to such offenses: Article 82 of the Act of May 20, 1971, Code of Petty Offenses (Journal of Laws of 2018, item 618, as amended):
(...) arrest, reprimand or a fine which, pursuant to Article 24(1), may amount to between PLN 20 and PLN 5,000. Article 163(1) of the Act of June 6, 1997, Criminal Code (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 2204, as amended) provides: “Anyone who causes an event that threatens the life or health of many people or property on a large scale, in the form of a fire, is subject to imprisonment for between one and 10 years”.
It also reminds readers:
Every intervention involves a substantial financial expense. Firefighters engaged in extinguishing grass, meadow and wasteland fires may simultaneously be needed to save lives and property elsewhere. It may happen that, because of people’s recklessness, they will not reach those who truly need help in time.