The State Emergency Service has declared an emergency level of fire danger: which regions are at risk
1 July 2024 17:09
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine has warned Ukrainians that the country’s fire risk has increased significantly due to the abnormal heat wave. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" reports with reference to the official Telegram channel of the agency.
on 2-4 July, Ukraine (except for the western, Zhytomyr, 3-4 July and Vinnytsia and Kyiv regions) will be subject to an extreme level of fire danger.
“Be careful! Follow the fire safety rules and do not provoke fires in open areas,” the State Emergency Service of Ukraine said.
First steps in case of a wildfire
Every year, a significant number of people die and suffer as a result of fires. The SES told Ukrainians how to behave in order to avoid becoming a victim of a fire in the ecosystem during a sharp rise in temperature.
Fires in natural ecosystems can be caused by a thrown cigarette butt or match, campfires and careless handling, work in forest areas (waste disposal, construction, etc.), and burning grass on forest edges. In 90% of cases, forest fires are caused by humans.
To avoid this, it is important to remember that it is forbidden to light fires and use open flames in the forest! In dry weather, the smallest spark is enough to ignite a large fire, especially in coniferous forests. Do not light fires in peat bogs, near haystacks or straw bales. Old stumps and dead wood also pose a fire hazard.
Children should be closely supervised, as they can set fire to shrubbery or dead wood when they are free. Their play with fire is very dangerous.
Safety rules in case of fire
– do not panic and do not make hasty, rash decisions
– do not run away from the rapidly approaching flames in the opposite direction to the fire, but walk upwind, covering your head and face with clothes
– leave the danger zone to which the flames are approaching quickly, perpendicular to the direction of fire spread
– if it is impossible to escape from the fire, go to an open area or lawn, enter a body of water or cover yourself with wet clothes and breathe the air above the ground – it is less smoky here, cover your mouth and nose with clothes or a piece of any cloth
– extinguish the flames of small grassroots fires by hammering them with branches of deciduous trees, pouring water, throwing wet soil and trampling on them with your feet
– while extinguishing the fire, do not move far from roads and clearings, do not lose sight of other firefighters, keep in touch with them by voice
– be careful in places where tall trees are burning, they can fall and injure you
– after leaving the fire centre, immediately inform the local fire and rescue service by calling “101” about the location, scale and nature of the fire.
