Filenews 10 August 2023
The Department of Forests expresses its readiness to welcome the public who will visit the forests, on the occasion of the holidays of August.
At the same time, he assures that he will do whatever is required for people to enjoy them, and have a nice and carefree time. At the same time, however, people should address the environment very warmly and not leave their garbage behind.
He also stresses that the repeated catastrophic fires of recent days should reflect and set an example, so that the public is particularly careful during their excursions, completely avoiding actions and activities that may cause fire. For this purpose, close cooperation with the staff of the Department of Forests and other Services, especially the Police, is required.
It is particularly emphasized that it is strictly forbidden to light fires in forest and rural areas and that this action constitutes an offense which according to the Forest Law is punishable by imprisonment up to 10 years or a fine of up to €50.000,00 or both penalties.
A special appeal is made to:
- owners of holiday homes, as well as homeowners, that if they will light coals for food preparation, light them in specially designed areas that are completely safe. Avoid lighting wood because it poses a greater risk and finally make sure that the coals and fire are completely extinguished at the end of cooking
- professionals, amateurs and unskilled people should not use metal cutting or welding tools (emery, welding or welding) near dry vegetation, as the sparks caused are one of the main causes of forest fires in recent years
- Owners of country houses who intend to assign foreign workers or third parties to clean the yard of the house from grass, explain and prevent them from trying to burn them since lighting a fire is strictly forbidden and at the same time is a risk of causing a fire with unpredictable consequences.
It is also recalled that:
- it is forbidden to dispose of lit cigarette butts in forest and rural areas,
- The lighting of a fire is allowed only in the picnic areas and only within the specially designed areas that the Department of Forests has configured
- If someone notices smoke or fire, call immediately the free line 1407 (Department of Forests) or 112 (Fire Service).
