The incident took place on June 11.
(…) at 4:21 p.m., we were dispatched to a grass fire in our town.
The danger was eliminated; fortunately, no one was injured. Firefighters from Krzyżowa took part in the operation. The unit dispatched from Bolesławiec was turned back.
As reported on gov.pl, in 2023 firefighters in Poland intervened 21,206 times in grass and agricultural wasteland fires. In Lower Silesia alone, there were more than 2,000 interventions.
The government website adds:
Unfortunately, in 2023, grass 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 and 36 sec
- Grass-fire callouts occurred on average every 10 minutes.
The State Fire Service’s public-awareness campaign “Stop Grass Fires” began on March 1. Gov.pl: – For many years, the period around the end of winter, the beginning of spring and early spring has clearly seen an increase in the number of meadow and wasteland fires. Many people burn grass and agricultural wasteland, explaining their actions as an attempt to enrich the soil. For generations, many people have believed that burning grass will cause it to regrow faster and more abundantly, thereby bringing economic benefits. However, this is completely mistaken. Reality shows that burning grass leads to irreversible, harmful changes in the natural environment – the soil becomes infertile, the highly beneficial natural decomposition of plant remains is halted, as is the assimilation of nitrogen from the air. A range of chemical compounds that are poisonous to both people and animals enters the atmosphere. Burning grass is also the cause of many fires, which unfortunately often lead to fatal accidents as well. Several people die in incidents of this kind every year.
It also adds:
Areas of last year’s dried-out vegetation, which, due to the growing seasons occurring at this time, provide excellent combustible material, combined with high human activity in this sector, result in a rapid increase in fires. People are responsible for more than 94% of the causes of these fires.
Wind also helps spread the fire. People who, against all logic, decide to burn grass are convinced that they have the situation fully under control and will react in time if necessary. Unfortunately, they are mistaken, and sometimes it ends in tragedy. If the wind suddenly changes direction, fires very often get out of control and spread to nearby forests and buildings. In such fires, people often 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:
- That such conduct is prohibited is stated, among other things, in the Act of September 1, 2022 – an amendment to the Nature Conservation Act, which added Article 130a, stating that a person who removes vegetation by burning it on agricultural land, railway areas, roadside verges, reed beds or rushes 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 verges, reed beds or rushes 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 forest 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 district manager, using an open flame, burning the top layer of soil and plant residues.- Severe penalties apply to offenses of this type: 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 range from PLN 20 to 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, taking the form of a fire, is subject to imprisonment for between one and 10 years”.
It also reminds readers:
Every intervention involves significant financial expense. Firefighters involved in extinguishing grass, meadow and wasteland fires may at the same time be needed to save lives and property elsewhere. It may happen that, because of people’s recklessness, they fail to arrive in time with help where they are truly needed.