Each of us knows that the forest is the best place for a good rest. Of course, the forest attracts with its beauty numerous vacationers, mushroom pickers, hunters and tourists, who for the most part are responsible people.
However, according to statistics, more than 95% of all annual cases occur precisely because of a person. Not a single hike, not a single trip to the forest is complete without a fire being lit.
At the same time, some tourists simply forget that it is not always easy to control fire, and having caused a fire in the forest, it becomes a real disaster, as it will destroy everyone and everything in its path. Therefore, there is a direct need to know and follow the rules of fire safety in the forest.
Measures to ensure food security
The complex of measures for fire safety in forest areas consists of four main areas of work.
Direction number 1. Fire safety practices
These measures consist of measures to prevent the occurrence of fires, constantly monitoring the risk of fires in forests, writing and complying with plans to extinguish forest fires, and other security measures.
Direction number 2. Forest Plan Compliance Tracking
All measures to ensure fire safety are carried out in accordance with the forest plan, which is developed by each subject of the Russian Federation, and is consistent with the regulations for the activities of the forestry and forest parks.
Direction number 3. Fire safety rules and measures
The development of special safety rules on the territory of forests and the main measures for their observance are changed and compiled in relation to the target status of forest areas. This area of work is within the competence of the Russian government.
Direction number 4. Systematic compilation of a classifier of forests according to their fire danger
Compilation of a specialized classifier of forests, in accordance with their fire hazard, is carried out based on a combination of factors such as the season, weather conditions, and others. It is regulated only at the level of specially authorized federal bodies.
Causes of fires
Compliance with the rules
As noted at the beginning of the article, almost all forest fires are associated with improper human activity.
One of the main causes of forest fires is the burning of grass, which spreads over large areas in the forest, and can provoke the burning of peat bogs. Such fires lead to severe smoke in large areas, and burning and a pungent smell spreads over many tens of kilometers.
Separately, it should be noted that a forest fire can be caused not only by an unextinguished fire or an abandoned lit match. A glass bottle forgotten or broken in the forest can become a source of fire, which begins to work like a lens under the hot rays of the summer sun.
The reasons for the spread of fires in the forest zone are also a specific climate or abnormal weather conditions. In humid and damp climates, forest fires are extremely rare. In arid areas, fires are usually the case. During hot periods, the number of fires also begins to increase.
A much rarer cause of forest fires is lightning.
Summarizing all of the above about the causes of fires, we can conclude that the main causes of forest fires are:
- Abundant flammable layer (leaves, humus, dry branches, etc.);
- Rather dry climate and abnormally hot weather;
- The presence of an open source of fire (smoldering coals of a fire, an abandoned lighted match, etc.).
Duties of Citizens
According to the current legislation, citizens must not only comply with a number of rules related to fire safety, but also strictly fulfill their direct duties:
- In the event of a fire in the forest, citizens are required to notify the state authorities as soon as possible. authorities or local authorities;
- Take all available measures to independently extinguish a forest fire until the firefighters arrive at the place of ignition;
- If necessary, help firefighters during the extinguishing of a forest fire.
It should also be noted that the stay of citizens in the forest during certain periods of time can be limited or completely prohibited. And in case of violations of fire safety rules, administrative fines for fires in the forest can be imposed.
Forests are truly a precious gift of nature and the heritage of the people, it is necessary and very important to protect them, today, in the era of the anthropogenic crisis, everyone understands this. To this end, the state has developed special rules of conduct in forests, designed to limit forest fires as effectively as possible, annually leading to the death of a large number of valuable tree species.
Who monitors compliance with fire safety rules in forests
Each forest region is different from the other, therefore the PB rules for each region are different. They are established by the Ministry of Natural Resources, and to monitor the implementation of the rules of conduct in the country's forests (according to the decree of the Russian Federation (No. 417 of 06/30/2007)) are obliged to:
- legal entities and citizens;
- tenants of forest plots;
- government departments;
- local authorities.
Fire safety measures in forests
- The most safe arrangement of forest areas in terms of the occurrence and spread of fires:
- Early preparation of systems for the prevention and extinguishing of fires of the appropriate content. Organization of a sufficient amount of fuel and lubricants for fire-fighting vehicles for a period of increased fire risk.
- Permanent fire monitoring.
- Development and improvement of plans for extinguishing forests.
- Discussion and readiness for the extinguishing process.
Construction of roads for fire prevention purposes;
equipment of special landing sites for aviation equipment designed to guard and protect the forest;
laying lanes;
ensuring fire-prevention distances (breaks).
Fire safety in the forests of Russia - basic requirements
In forests, especially with the onset of a fire-dangerous season, it is prohibited:
- making fires in the following areas: burnt areas, coniferous young stands, peat bogs, cuttings, on dried grass, under crowns;
- leave unextinguished matches, cigarette butts, etc., as well as glass;
- leave materials soaked with combustible substances, such as gasoline;
- refuel cars;
- litter the forest with any waste;
- burn garbage.
At the same time, each of us wants to walk along the cool, noisy, fragrant, green clearings. This, of course, is permitted, as is lighting a fire for cooking in special, designated areas.
Persons responsible for forest fire safety and using these areas must also comply with certain rules. In particular, keep an eye on available combustible materials, keep them closed and prevent them from igniting, as well as comply with other regulations defined by law.
The forest is the green garment of the earth and our greatest wealth. Fire has always been the most formidable enemy of the forest. Currently, in most cases of its ignition, the person himself is to blame. But by following the simple fire safety rules in the forests, you can save nature and prevent a large-scale disaster.
Forest fires leave behind a territory devastated for a long time. And they sometimes begin due to underestimation of the danger of fire and violation of the rules of behavior in the forest. A dropped cigarette butt, discarded glassware after a picnic, and an unextinguished fire are all potential sources of fire.
In modern society, green tourism has become very fashionable. But not all newly-minted tourists even know the basics of fire safety in nature. Without thinking about the consequences, they lay out a fire for cooking under the trees, near the bushes, do not follow it.
Drivers
If you go to the forest by car, be sure to take fire prevention measures. Drivers should remember...
what is not allowed:
- drive into the forest in a broken car;
- refuel in green areas;
- smoke or lay a fire near your iron horse;
- leave all kinds of garbage soaked in gasoline, oil, kerosene.
what is possible:
- equip the car engine with a spark arrester;
- leave cleaning rags in specially designated places.
When performing such simple actions, minimal harm is done to our green friend - the forest.
Bonfire
Fire in the forest is often vital: it warms, dries clothes, makes it possible to drink tea and cook. But you need to know the rules for handling it, have basic practical skills in breeding and extinguishing, understand the types and methods of its decomposition.
Bonfire types:
- a hut (in the form of a house with kindling inside), convenient for cooking, night lighting, requires little firewood;
- well (in the form of a wooden frame, square, kindling inside), suitable for cooking, has a wide, low flame;
- star (cross-folded thick branches), suitable for a night fire, does not require continuous attention, it is enough to move the poles to the center;
- taiga (a powerful bonfire made of thick logs stacked on top of each other with a lining of chips), burns well up to 10 hours, heats, scares away animals;
- hunting (three medium logs lined), burns up to 8 hours, does not require special supervision;
- Polynesian (or holed), the safest fire, gives a lot of ash, economical;
- nadya (from 3 thick and long logs, lying in the letter H), gives a lot of heat, which is regulated by shifting the logs.
Breeding
To skillfully make a fire in the forest, you need to remember a few basic steps for yourself:
- a careful selection of the breeding site must be carried out;
- mandatory site preparation;
- preparation of fuel and kindling.
Any oversight in the arrangement of a fire can destroy the ecological balance. For example, the heat of a fire near trees will greatly heat their bark and living tissues. The tree may die. The soil heated to high temperatures sinters and becomes lifeless.
There are a number of rules for a "safe campfire":
- in dry weather, kindle a fire only on sand or stone, along the banks of reservoirs, in clearings with green grass;
- remove all combustible objects from the fire at a distance of more than half a meter;
- for emergency fire extinguishing, keep several containers of water nearby;
- put a bunch of chopped branches nearby to flood the fire;
- never make a fire near resinous trees, near trees with hollows, in old clearings;
- thick grass, moss, lichen can cause a fire in nearby trees;
- do not build high and large fires: a few small ones can do you more good;
- if you see an old fire pit, use it;
- if you can't find a suitable spot, remove the top layer of soil with sod and light a fire on the ground without an organic substrate.
- build a fire no less than three meters from the tents on the leeward side.
Do not forget, if you are in a protected forest, then a campfire site is necessarily arranged in it. Unauthorized transfer is punishable by law.
Fuel selection
Before going to the forest, you hardly think about the choice of kindling. Well, if you're lucky, and you will quickly get a fire. But still, what is better to use for lighting a fire?
Kindling is a highly flammable material. They must be dry. It is important to remember that dead wood burns quickly and brightly, but smokes. And dry needles burn well, but scatter sparks, which creates a fire hazard. Fresh needles, although they burn, give a lot of smoke. It will be harmful to your eyes and your clothes.
Best to use:
- pieces of dry tree bark;
- dry garbage and birch bark;
- dry reeds, ferns, lichens, moss and grass rolled into a bundle;
- small twigs and knots;
- fluff of plants and birds;
- dry rotten, hemp.
Abandoned place
You've had a nice weekend in the woods, or you've finished your hike. Make sure that the forest is not damaged. When leaving a place of rest or parking, eliminate the fire: fill it with water, sprinkle it with damp earth and trample down.
Even if you put out the fire in the evening, check the place again in the morning: there may be smoldering embers. Feel the ashes and ashes - they should be cold. Dig this area with them. After extinguishing the fire, do not leave immediately, wait 15-20 minutes. Just make sure everything is in order, you can leave.
General rules
It depends only on our correct attitude to fire. By following simple rules of behavior in nature, you can significantly reduce the number of forest fires. General fire safety rules in forests:
- make a fire in the forest only in case of special need and in specially prepared places;
- kindle a fire according to clear existing rules;
- eliminate the fire with all care;
- avoid thoughtlessly throwing unextinguished cigarette butts and matches;
- upon detection of the slightest signs of fire in the forest, immediately apply all measures to eliminate them;
- do not forget to notify the forest workers about the incident;
- if you yourself cannot cope with the fire, report it by a single rescue telephone.
In addition to these measures, there are certain bans for the fire season.
In the dry season, it is forbidden to make an open fire and burn grass cover under green spaces. In no case should you smoke during a walk and rest and leave any glass containers in the forest.
Fire extinguishing
If you were careless, and a fire still occurred, do not waste a minute. Immediately inform the rescue telephone about the place of ignition and proceed to eliminate the source of the fire.
- if there is water nearby, fill the fire;
- water all nearby plants, this will help not to spread the fire;
- you can make a broom from green branches and sweep the edge of the fire from the side, obliquely to the flame, while turning the broom all the time;
- throw damp loose earth on the fire, you can try to dig in the place of burning;
- if you managed to extinguish the fire, do not be too lazy to report it to the forestry;
- if you can't cope on your own, do not stop trying and wait for the rescue service.
By observing all the precautions when handling open fire in the forest, you can enjoy relaxing in nature without harming it.
Fire safety rules in the forest
In summer, the likelihood of fires increases sharply due to violation of fire safety rules when burning garbage and making fires in the wrong places. According to statistics, in 9 cases out of 10 forest fires are caused by humans.
Most wildfires start from unextinguished campfires. It is better not to kindle them in dry, warm and windy weather. But if the need arises, you need to follow simple rules. Fires should be lit in designated areas. If there is no such place, then it can be prepared on sandy and pebble spits along the banks of rivers and lakes, on forest roads, in quarries, on old fires, on lawns and glades covered with green grass. It is necessary to remove everything around the fire, on a strip at least 0.5 m wide, that can burn and cause the fire to spread. It is desirable that there is water near the fire, as well as branches for flooding the flame in case the combustion spreads. Try not to kindle fires under the crowns of spruces, pines, usually with lowered crowns, as well as in young coniferous forests. Avoid making fires near hollow trees - they are dangerous in terms of fire. It is unacceptable to kindle fires in old clearings, in areas with a large amount of dry combustible materials. In these cases, even a small spark is enough to create a smoldering, unnoticed source of ignition near the fire. Burning wood in open areas is always very strong. In dry weather and with wind, burning branches, leaves, coals are transported tens of meters.
When visiting the forest, you must remember that smoking is dangerous, especially in coniferous plantations, where there is little green grass and during the day last year's needles, lichens, grass, small twigs and other plant litter dry out. Therefore, it is better to smoke in specially designated areas or in areas suitable for making fires and smoking. You should not smoke in the forest on the go, because. there is always the danger of being automatically thrown towards a burning match or cigarette butt.
Discipline in the forest, conscious behavior and strict observance of simple fire safety rules will guarantee the preservation of forests from fires.
During the fire season in the forest it is unacceptable:
- use open fire;
- burn grass under trees, in forest clearings, clearings, as well as stubble in fields, in the forest;
- make fires in young coniferous forests, on peat bogs, cutting areas, in places with dry grass, under tree crowns, as well as in areas of damaged forest;
- use wads made of flammable or smoldering materials while hunting;
- leave oiled or combustible cleaning material;
- refuel engine tanks, use defective vehicles, smoke or use open flames near vehicles refueling;
- leave bottles or glass fragments, as they can work as incendiary lenses.
In case of fire
When a fire is detected in the forest or near the forest floor, the main task is to prevent the fire from gaining strength and spreading. To do this, put out the fire, carefully inspect the place of burning and make sure that there are no burning centers left. In cases where it is not possible to extinguish the fire on your own, it is necessary to report the fire to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, forest protection authorities, local authorities or the police.
When extinguishing fires in the forest, the most common method is to overwhelm the fire at the edge of the fire. Green branches are used for overflowing. Throwing the edge of the fire with soil is effective, cooling the burning materials and depriving them of air access.
During extinguishing, it is necessary to follow the rules of fire safety and be sure that during crown forest fires, when the crowns of trees burn, the banks of reservoirs, large glades, deciduous forest without coniferous undergrowth can serve as a refuge. You should not seek shelter on roads and clearings surrounded by coniferous forests, especially young growth with low crowns, as well as in logs overgrown with forests.
Actions in the forest fire zone:
- take a dip in the nearest body of water or cover yourself with wet clothes;
- to overcome the lack of oxygen, breathe through a wet handkerchief or wet clothes, bend down to the ground;
- determine the direction of the wind and the spread of fire;
- having chosen the route of exit from the forest to a safe place, go only to the windward side and along the front of the fire;
- in case of a small fire, fill the fire with water from the nearest reservoir, sweep away the flame with a 1.5-2 m bunch of branches of deciduous trees, wet clothes, thick cloth;
- trample down a small fire on the ground, do not let it spread to the trees, do not leave until you are sure that the fire is extinguished.
Administration of the Silino district of the city of Moscow
Department of State Fire Supervision ZelAO
a) make fires in young coniferous forests, in burnt areas, in areas of damaged forest, peat bogs, in logging sites (in logging sites) that have not been cleared of logging residues and harvested wood, in places with dried grass, and also under tree crowns. In other places, making fires is allowed on sites separated by a fire-fighting mineralized (that is, cleaned to a mineral soil layer) strip with a width of at least 0.5 meters. After the completion of the burning of logging residues or use for another purpose, the fire must be carefully covered with earth or flooded with water until smoldering has completely ceased;
b) throw burning matches, cigarette butts and hot ash from smoking pipes, glass (glass bottles, jars, etc.);
c) use wads made of combustible or smoldering materials when hunting;
d) leave materials (paper, cloth, tow, cotton wool, etc.) oiled or impregnated with gasoline, kerosene or other combustible substances in places not specially provided for this;
e) refuel the fuel tanks of internal combustion engines when the engine is running, use vehicles with a faulty engine power system, as well as smoke or use open flames near vehicles refueling;
f) carry out work with open fire on peat bogs.
9. It is forbidden to litter the forest with household, construction, industrial and other waste and garbage.
9(1). In the period from the day the snow cover melts until the establishment of stable rainy autumn weather or the formation of snow cover, state authorities, local governments, institutions, organizations, other legal entities, regardless of their organizational and legal forms and forms of ownership, peasant (farmer) households, public associations, individual entrepreneurs, officials, citizens of the Russian Federation, foreign citizens, stateless persons owning, using and (or) disposing of the territory adjacent to the forest, ensure its cleaning from dry herbaceous vegetation, crop residues, deadwood, logging residues, garbage and other combustible materials on a strip at least 10 meters wide from the forest, or the forest is separated by a fire-resistant mineralized strip at least 0.5 meters wide or another fire barrier.
10. Burning of garbage taken out from settlements can be carried out near the forest only in specially designated places, provided that:
a) places for burning garbage (pits or sites) are located at a distance of at least:
100 meters from a coniferous forest or separately growing coniferous trees and young growth;
50 meters from a deciduous forest or separately growing deciduous trees;
b) the area around the places for burning garbage (pits or sites) must be cleared within a radius of 25 - 30 meters from dead trees, fallen trees, logging residues, other combustible materials and separated by two fire-fighting mineralized strips, each with a width of at least 1.4 meters, and near a coniferous forest on dry soils - two mineralized fire-prevention strips, each not less than 2.6 meters wide, with a distance of 5 meters between them.
(see text in previous edition)
11. During the fire season, garbage burning is allowed only if there is no fire danger in the forest due to weather conditions and under the control of responsible persons.
12. It is prohibited to burn brushwood, forest litter, dry grass and other forest combustible materials on land plots directly adjacent to forests, protective and forest plantations and not separated by a fire-resistant mineralized strip at least 0.5 meters wide.
(see text in previous edition)
13. Legal entities and citizens engaged in the use of forests are obliged to:
a) store fuels and lubricants in closed containers, during the fire season, clean their storage sites from vegetation, wood debris, other combustible materials and separate them with a fire-fighting mineralized strip at least 1.4 meters wide;
(see text in previous edition)
b) when uprooting stumps with the help of explosives, notify the state authorities or local self-government bodies specified in paragraph 4 of these Rules about the place and time of these works, at least 10 days before their start; stop uprooting stumps with these substances in case of high fire danger in the forest;
c) observe the norms for the availability of means for preventing and extinguishing forest fires when using forests, approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation, as well as keep the means for preventing and extinguishing forest fires during the fire season in readiness, ensuring the possibility of their immediate use;