Grass fires

The number of fires significantly increases during the spring fire hazard period. While an average of about 70 fires are registered per month, this number exceeds 100 in April. The main objects affected during this period are outbuildings (utility sheds), dachas, and garden houses, which account for over 60% of fires.

It is not uncommon for citizens to suffer severe burns due to carelessness when lighting fires, burning trash, setting fire to or independently extinguishing dry vegetation. Last year, 11 people were injured under such circumstances. In some cases, carelessness led to even more tragic consequences.

For example, on June 15, 2023, a family (husband and wife, born in 1964 and 1963 respectively) from Novopolotsk were at their dacha in the village of Cherchitsy, Shumilinsky district. They were tidying up their plot and lit a fire to burn trash. After some time, they noticed that the fire had gotten out of control and dry vegetation had caught fire. They began to extinguish it with improvised means. The woman, having lost sight of her husband, discovered him lying in the burning grass after some time. She tried to help him, beating out the flames, but by then the man showed no signs of life.

It was established that the family had a positive reputation, did not consume alcohol, and did not smoke. The deceased worked as a dispatcher for the emergency dispatch service of the Housing and Communal Services Department of Novopolotsk. The man, who attempted to extinguish the fire himself, did not assess his physical capabilities and did not take into account certain health problems (diabetes, took insulin, complained of heart pain), which to some extent contributed to his death while extinguishing dry vegetation.

As a result of adults' lack of control, minors suffer.

On July 08, 2023, in the village of Torchilovo, Orshansky District, a minor born in 2014 was injured. From the circumstances, it was established that the injured child was at a dacha with his mother and sisters. The mother left her younger daughter in the shade near the buildings in a car seat and, together with the older children, tried to light a fire to cook kebabs. At some point, the mother went to her younger daughter, and the older children remained by the fire. At this time, since the fire was not catching, the child brought a plastic container from home, placed it near the fire with the lid open. As a result of a gasoline flare-up, the victim's clothes (shorts) and legs caught fire. The result was thermal burns to the left upper limb, torso, lower limbs (40% of the body), and first-degree burn shock.

On July 31, a minor born in 2009 was injured while jumping over a bonfire in the village of Tarasenki, Vitebsky District. From the circumstances, it was established that the girl, together with her younger brothers, was visiting her grandmother. The minors were playing by the bonfire (the grandmother was burning trash) on the household plot. The girl tried to jump over the bonfire, tripped, and fell into it. The result was thermal burns from the flame to both lower limbs, both forearms, over an area of (23% of the body), and burn disease: first-second degree shock.