Firefighting: “People are not aware enough”

What are some small everyday actions we can take to prevent the risk of fire?

First of all, one in two fires is the result of human carelessness. So the simplest way to prevent a fire from starting is to avoid making a fire near a forest. The prefecture has even issued orders prohibiting fires within 200 meters of forests. Thus, you should avoid all barbecues and campfires, as well as wild fireworks and the release of lanterns. In short, you should not make open fires near trees.

What other actions should you take?

Smokers should never throw cigarette butts into nature or out the window. Since vegetation is very dry, it can catch fire in a matter of moments. For those who enjoy DIY or gardening, be careful with combustion engines. These can cause sparks and thus start a fire. To minimize the risk, it's best to garden or do DIY in the morning or evening when humidity levels are still high and to avoid windy days.

Many fires are caused during agricultural work. What are some tips for reducing the risk of fire?

First of all, it is important to ensure daily maintenance of the equipment to prevent it from producing sparks, but also to ensure that there is no dust because the latter is highly flammable. Then, the right thing to do is to have a fire extinguisher nearby, ideally in the tractor cab. Then, it is necessary to go through the plot before harvesting to remove materials likely to produce sparks during harvesting or to create fire break zones by harvesting, for example, the plot in islands. Or even to carry out preventive stubble cultivation. And above all, you must have your phone on you to call for help.

What should you do when you witness a fire?

You should immediately call 18 or 112 and provide precise contact information so that the firefighters can intervene quickly. But above all, you should not take any risks and seek intervention if it puts you in danger. The best way to put out fires is not to start them. We still see too many people throwing their cigarette butts out of windows. People are not aware enough.