2016 Fire Season Results: Problems and Solutions were discussed in the Federation Council

In the Federation Council Committee for Agrarian and Food Policy and Environmental Management a round table “2016 Fire Season Results: Problems and Solutions” was held. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee for Agrarian and Food Policy and Environmental Management Vladimir Lebedev. The members of the Federation Council, the State Duma deputies, representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Natural Disaster Response, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Auditing Chamber, the General Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Interior, the Federal Forestry Agency, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision, the executive bodies of the Russian constituents, the scientific and non-governmental organizations took part in the event.

The head of the State Control and Supervision Department of the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Tatarstan Niyaz Tazmeev gave a report on the results of fire season in the Republic of Tatarstan. He recalled that thanks to the Ministry’s preventive measures, the practical assistance provided by the Federal Forestry Agency, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan there were no fires on the territory of Tatarstan for the last 6 years. The available experience has defined four key factors of successful wildfire fighting: prevention, efficient response, availability of facilities and resources and organizational work. The Republic of Tatarstan took the I place in protection of forests among the executive authorities on delegated powers in the field of forest relations.

Total, in 2016 there were wildfires by 10.7% less than in 2015, and their total area has decreased by 15.3%. If compare with the average figures for five years, this year the number of wildfires has decreased by half, and in terms of area covered by the fire – by a third.

At the round table also the measures taken to prevent and suppress wildfires in the lands of forest reserve in 2016 fire season, the results of the work done, the distribution in 2016 of subventions from the federal budget to the Russian Federation constituents for the implementation of fire safety measures, wildfire extinction, remediation of consequences; improvement of efficiency of the forest protection against fires and monitoring of fire danger in forests and wildfires have been discussed.

The participants of the round table have discussed the problems of the regions arisen in extinguishing wildfires in 2016, proposed a number of measures to ensure the effectiveness of the prevention, detection and suppression of wildfires in the context of the increased fire danger in forests and reduction of budgetary financing.

The major problems remain unsolved. They are the anthropogenic factor as the main cause of wildfires, inadequate fire protection measures taken by institutions and tenants of forest plots, delayed detection of fires, the lack of public funding for the prevention of wildfires and their suppression. The issue of the status of the forest fireman is not solved; and this prevents to provide the forest fire brigades with the high-class specialists.

At the end of the meeting Vladimir Lebedev said that a draft recommendation would be finalized taking into account the suggestions made. On the basis of the document it is planned to elaborate a “road map” for solving wildfire fighting problems.