Russia-wide Fire Prevention Movement “Take Control of the Agricultural Burns – 2015”

The massive unauthorized burning of dry grass and vegetation in fields, undertaken in the spring for the purposes of clearing is the main cause of the spring forest fires and other wilderness blazes. Every year agricultural field fires spread to the settlements and commercial facilities, causing harm to the health of our country’s inhabitants as well as the Russian economy as a whole.

For the second consecutive year, the Federal Forestry Agency has initiated the Russia-wide fire prevention movement “Take Control of the Agricultural Burns” for the purpose of informing the public about the dangers of uncontrollable agricultural fires, about what proper action to take in case of detection, as well as shaping a steadfast opinion within society that the burning of dry grass is not to be seen as agricultural work, but arson. An important objective of the movement is also motivating all citizens to observe the rules of fire safety in forests and adjacent forest areas.

The Russia-wide fire prevention movement “Take Control of the Agricultural Burns” comprises a distribution of special leaflets, dialogues with the people about the prohibition of agricultural clearing fires and rules of forest fire safety, rallies, marches, flash mobs, competitions, the installation of billboards and notices, fire prevention infrastructure in recreation areas in forest territory, the dissemination of information on the topic of forest fires through the media as well as other forms of awareness-raising efforts with the population.

The Russia-wide fire prevention movement “Take Control of the Agricultural Burns” will continue until the end of September.