To avoid fires, you must follow the rules of behavior in the forest
The main causes of natural fires are an unextinguished cigarette, a burning match, a smoldering wad after a shot, an oily rag, a glass bottle that refracts the rays of sunlight, sparks from a vehicle muffler, burning old grass, debris near a forest or peat bog, clearing with the help of fire of forest areas for agricultural use or arrangement of forest pastures. But one of the main potential sources of wildfires is a fire. In some cases, wildfires are the result of deliberate arson, man-made accidents or disasters.
Every summer, forest fires break out with a devastating inevitability. You can’t get used to it. Forests take decades to regenerate. If you have ever seen a forest fire, you will never forget this terrible picture.
Specialists of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia give recommendations on what to do if you find yourself in a forest fire zone.
If you are near a fire in a forest or peat bog
If you find yourself near the source of a fire in a forest or peat bog and you do not have the opportunity to cope with its localization, prevention of the spread and extinguishment of the fire on your own, immediately warn all nearby people (special services) about the need to leave the danger zone. Organize their exit to the road or clearing, to the bank of a river or reservoir, in a field. Get out of the danger zone quickly, perpendicular to the direction of fire. If it is impossible to escape from the fire, enter a body of water or cover yourself with wet clothing. When you go out into an open space or a clearing, breathe the air near the ground – there it is less smoky, while covering your mouth and nose with a cotton-gauze bandage or rag.
After leaving the fire zone, report the location, size and nature of the fire
After leaving the fire zone, report the location, size and nature of the fire to the local administration, forestry or fire service, as well as to the local population. Know the warning signals about the approach of the fire zone to the settlement and take part in the organization of fire extinguishing.
How to act near fires in forests and peatlands
The flames of small ground fires can be knocked down by sweeping them with hardwood branches, flooding them with water, throwing them with wet soil, trampling them with your feet. Peat fires are extinguished by digging up burning peat with watering. When extinguishing a fire, act prudently, do not go far from roads and clearings, do not lose sight of other participants, maintain visual and sound communication with them. When extinguishing a peat fire, keep in mind that deep funnels can form in the burning zone, so you should move carefully, after checking the depth of the burnt layer.
Created based on materials from the official Internet portal EMERCOM of the Russian Federation
