Ilgizar Zaripov spoke about the introduction in the Republic of Tatarstan of restrictions on the stay of citizens in forests and the entry of vehicles into the forest at a press conference
Today the Information Agency “Tatar-inform” hosted a press conference dedicated to the introduction in the Republic of Tatarstan of the regime of restricting the stay of citizens in forests and the entry of vehicles into them. Ilgizar Zaripov, First Deputy Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan, spoke about the peculiarities of the regime, as well as the work carried out by the Ministry to prevent the occurrence of forest fires.
“This year we had to take emergency measures in connection with the onset of stable hot weather and establishment of the 4th class of fire hazard in forests of the Republic of Tatarstan. By the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan No. 589 dated July 14, 2020, starting from July 15 of this year, the republic introduced a restriction on the stay of citizens in forests, the entry of vehicles into them and performance of certain types of work in forests, with the exception of drive-through the public roads of persons performing activities on the use of forests in accordance with the current legislation, - said Ilgizar Zaripov. - Restrictions on the stay of citizens are established in relation to forests located on the lands of the forest fund of the Republic of Tatarstan”.
According to him, industry specialists will carry out work on installation of warning notices about the introduction of the corresponding restriction, the period of its validity and blocking of forest roads with barriers.
“In order to ensure fire safety in forests, a round-the-clock watch will be organized in subordinate institutions, patrolling in forests will be strengthened, temporary posts will be organized in places of mass visits to forests on weekends and holidays. The full readiness of the forces and means of fire extinguishing, including reserve ones, for a prompt response to reports of forest fires will be ensured, the First Deputy Minister added. - Also, additional information will be provided to the population through the mass media about the situation with natural fires and responsibility for violations of fire safety rules in forests”.
“Such decrees on limiting the stay of citizens in forests and the entry of vehicles into them were adopted in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. We understand the importance of forests for the public, therefore, in the event of a decrease in the fire hazard class, we will immediately initiate the adoption of a document that lifts this ban”, said Ilgizar Zaripov.
It should be noted that thanks to the well-coordinated work of specialists from the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan, its subordinate institutions, the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergencies of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan, executive authorities of municipal districts, as well as the fire-fighting measures taken, in the Republic of Tatarstan it was possible to avoid emergencies during fire-hazardous seasons from 2011 to 2019 years.
“In 2020, the forest fire season was launched on April 6. In preparation for it, the “Consolidated plan for extinguishing forest fires on the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan” for 2020 was developed and approved, all type II and III forest fire stations, fire-fighting equipment concentration points at the republic's forestry enterprises were inspected, many meetings were held with the heads of rural settlements, the population, tenants, owners of land plots adjacent to the forest fund. Also, 1,400 warnings were issued to legal entities and individual entrepreneurs about the inadmissibility of violating fire safety rules in forests”, said Ilgizar Zaripov.
It will allow to increase the efficiency of work on protecting forests from fires and implementation of the federal project “Forests Conservation” of the national project “Ecology”, within which this year 9 units of fire tankers, 2 units of small forest patrol complexes and 2 high pressure fire-fighting units were purchased and transferred to subordinate institutions.
Fire safety in forest is provided by 20 type II forest fire stations at forestry enterprises and 5 type III forest fire stations at the State Budgetary Institution of the Republic of Tatarstan “Forest Fire Center”. The number of forest fire units is 675 people, equipment - 342 units. In case of an emergency, additional involvement of forces and means of fire brigade units and organizations with a total number of 2,822 people is provided, which possess 512 units of machinery. In addition, there is an opportunity to attract the forces and funds of organizations that carry out and do not use forests, numbering 2,586 people, which possess 679 units of various machinery.
“At present, all forest districts of the Republic of Tatarstan carry out a set of measures on fire-prevention arrangement of forests. Within its framework, 2,670.2 km of new fire-prevention mineralized zones were created in the republic and maintenance of existing barriers with a total length of 5,448.9 km was carried out, Ilgizar Zaripov informed. - Also, as of July 14, work has been completed on the construction of fire-fighting roads with a total length of 50 km and their reconstruction – on 220 km. In addition, more than 790 stands, marks and signs containing information on fire safety measures in forests were installed and 225 recreation places for citizens staying in the forests were improved”.
Space monitoring of the fire hazard situation, aviation (1.2 million hectares) and ground (11 thousand hectares) is being conducted. The regional dispatching service of the State Budgetary Institution of the Republic of Tatarstan “Forest Fire Center” (tel. 8-800-100-94-00, 8 (843) 221-37-95) also operates around the clock.
Let us recall that violation of fire safety rules in forests entails the imposition of an administrative fine on citizens in the amount of up to 3 thousand rubles, on officials - up to 20 thousand rubles, legal entities - up to 200 thousand rubles. If a violation of rules of fire safety in forests resulted in a forest fire and damage was caused to the forests, the deed may entail criminal liability under Art. 261 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.