Consequences of burning dry vegetation

March 25, 2025

With the arrival of warm weather, owners of private households tidy up their household plots, including by burning garbage and dry vegetation at the root. Often, burning garbage, dry vegetation and shrubs leads to the spread of fire to residential buildings and utility structures. Sometimes, a seemingly harmless fire leads to tragedy – the death of people.

Carelessness and disregard for safety rules often lead to fires in the spring. Improper disposal of dry vegetation, grass burning, and careless handling of fire when making bonfires can cause serious consequences: utility buildings and residential houses burn, and fire threatens forests and human lives.

In the Republic of Belarus, 2 people died from fires, 5 people were injured.

In accordance with Article 15.57 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus, burning dry vegetation, grass at the root, as well as stubble and post-harvest residues in fields, or failure to take measures to extinguish fires on land plots, entails a fine of 10 to 40 base units.

Article 15.58 of the Code of Administrative Offenses provides for a fine for lighting fires in prohibited places up to 12 base units.

According to Article 15.29 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, for violation of fire safety requirements in forests or peatlands, which resulted in the destruction or damage of forests or peatlands, a fine of 25 to 50 base units is provided.

Existing legislation also provides for criminal liability for such violations in accordance with Articles 270 and 276 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.

To prevent fire emergencies, simple safety rules should be followed when making bonfires and cooking food on a grill (barbecue), namely:

– use special devices for cooking, bonfires should be made on the condition of ensuring continuous monitoring of the burning and smoldering process;

– areas for bonfires should be cleared of flammable substances and materials, dry vegetation, and equipped with extinguishing agents;

– the burning and smoldering process should be carried out in such a way that flames and sparks do not fall on flammable elements of buildings, outbuildings and structures, as well as on stored flammable substances and materials;

– upon completion of the burning process, the remnants of burning (smoldering) materials should be extinguished until smoldering completely stops.

– do not allow bonfires on peat soils, under tree crowns;

– do not allow bonfires, use of special devices for cooking on balconies, loggias, terraces, roofs and stylobates, except in cases where their placement is provided for by design documentation;

– do not allow the burning of dry vegetation in situ on adjacent territories, land plots provided for collective gardening or dacha construction.

It should be remembered that for burning dry vegetation in situ, post-harvest residues, as well as failure to take measures to eliminate fires, administrative liability from 10 to 30 basic units is provided.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations reminds you that if you witness any emergency situation or an incident has happened to you, report it to the rescuers by calling 101 or 112.