Dry vegetation fires, a major danger during this period, continue to seriously affect the environment and public safety, noted the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations that held a news conference in Vatra commune, one of the most affected areas, to draw attention to the risks and prevention measures, IPN reports.
The Inspectorate’s deputy head Aleco Sandu said that dry vegetation burning is a practice that is often used to clear fields, but it has devastating effects: "The most frequent fires occur between 06:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., and the main causes are the unsupervised actions of people who cultivate agricultural land, careless throwing of cigarette butts and children's playing with fire."
In order to prevent such situations, the authorities recommend creating protection strips between agricultural and wooded areas, ensuring the special vehicles’ access to water sources and observing safety measures.
Ion Bulmaga, head of the Environmental Protection Inspectorate, said that mobile teams were formed in districts to identify and prevent fires: "We travel to localities, discuss with citizens and inform them about the dangers posed by wildfires."
For his part, deputy commander of the detachment of rescuers and firefighters of Buiucani district Vlad Lungu spoke about the difficulties experienced by firefighters when extinguishing vegetation fires: "The difficult terrain and limited access make interventions difficult. Sometimes we lose precious time to reach the source due to landslides or absence of access roads."
The authorities also draw attention to the impact of fires on wildlife. Many animals are found frightened and weakened after such cases. In this connection, the Environment Agency called on the citizens to avoid starting open fires near homes, forests or agricultural land. In case of a fire, the population is advised to call the 112 Service immediately.
According to the Contravention Code, individuals who do not comply with the legal provisions on the burning of plant residues risk fines of up to 15,000 lei or unpaid community service. Firefighters urge responsibility and ask for assistance from citizens in identifying fires and ensuring compliance with prevention measures.
