According to the reports of the State Emergency Service, over the past two months, they have been receiving dozens of calls every day about the burning of grass, reeds, forest litter or other dry vegetation in all areas of Sumy Oblast. Sometimes the uncontrolled spread of fire leads to the destruction of buildings and even the death of people, as happened in the village of Thorns, where a man’s body was found on the fire. Unfortunately, despite the calls of firefighters and the State Environmental Inspection in the Sumy region, such a trend is observed every spring and autumn. Even during hostilities, there are those who are willing to set fire to dead land, and some even claim that burning territories down to the very ground is beneficial.
However, it is a long-proven and well-known fact that the burning of dry vegetation and its remains causes comprehensive damage to all components of the environment. In particular, this leads to a significant impoverishment of soil properties and the death of all living organisms that live inside and on its surface. Fire significantly damages the root systems and destroys the seeds of trees and shrubs and flowers and grasses, causing the disappearance of entire plant species, especially annuals. During continuous burning, the habitats of animals, nests of birds are destroyed by dryness, and mass death of animals often occurs. Burning vegetation also inflicts a painful blow on people’s health, polluting the air with a number of dangerous substances and compounds. For example, it has been established that when 1 hectare of forest burns, huge volumes of pollutants are released into the air, and the mass of just one carbon dioxide exceeds 700 tons.
3 years ago in Ukraine, with the aim of reducing the destructive consequences of fires and protecting the right of citizens to a clean and safe environment, the state significantly increased responsibility for violations related to fire in ecosystems. So, for example, for burning a small pile of last year’s leaves on a common area, citizens face a fine of up to UAH 6,120.
Also, criminal liability is provided for such violations in Ukraine. In particular, for the destruction or damage of forest areas, green areas around settlements, along railways, as well as stubble, dry wild grasses, vegetation or its remains on agricultural land by fire or other generally dangerous means, you can be imprisoned for 5 years. If people, animals die or other serious consequences occur as a result of arson, the term of imprisonment will reach 10 years.
Moreover, last year, changes were made to Art. 113 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which determine that intentional burning of vegetation during martial law can be considered an act of sabotage and entail responsibility in the form of imprisonment for 15 years or life imprisonment with confiscation of property. Therefore, the State Environmental Inspection in the Sumy region once again emphasizes: if you do not want to spend the rest of your life in prison – do not set fire to dead trees and do not start fires in ecosystems!
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