Since the end of July, staff from the State Emergency Service have been trying to bring under control the peatland fires that have engulfed areas near the village of Zeliv in the Yavoriv district and the village of Sytikhov in the Lviv district. Rescuers are working daily to contain the smouldering hotspots. However, this is no easy task — it took over a month to extinguish the previous fire.
EcoPolitic has compiled information on the situation.
The first sign of the fires
The first major summer fire on the peat bogs occurred near the town of Dublyany. It began on 27 June, when peat fields covering an area of 60,000 m² caught fire. The State Emergency Service deployed 78 firefighters and seven specialist vehicles to tackle the blaze.
Source: Lviv City Council Press Service
As of July 1, only 20% of the affected area had been extinguished. According to Lviv News Factory, the fire was only completely extinguished on July 31.
The second act
At the end of July, peatlands caught fire in Yavoriv district. Later, it was reported that peat was also burning in Lviv district.
The liquidation of fires near the villages of Zeliv and Sytykhiv is still ongoing.
Source: SESU in the Lviv region
Causes and challenges
Peat fires pose a serious challenge for rescuers. The fire spreads not above the surface but beneath it. This makes extinguishing extremely difficult and increases the risk of re-ignition. At the same time, such fires cause intense smoke and air pollution.
“Peat fires are among the most difficult to extinguish because the sources of ignition spread beneath the ground and can smolder for weeks. Eliminating these fires requires significant effort, a large amount of water, and constant monitoring. Rescuers thoroughly soak the smoldering areas to prevent re-ignition,” reported SESU
An expert from the public organization “Danube-Carpathian Programme,” Andriy Kyyko, told Suspilne media journalists that the root cause is the weather – a combination of high temperatures and lack of moisture. However, human negligence cannot be ruled out.
The SESU in the Lviv region has repeatedly warned about the high risk of fire danger and urged people to exercise caution.
“We urge residents of the region not to burn dry vegetation, garbage, or plant debris, and to strictly observe fire safety rules. Remember: it is much easier to prevent a fire than to eliminate its consequences,” rescuers emphasize.
EcoPolitic reported that visiting forests is prohibited across almost the entire territory of Ukraine. The reason is the extremely high risk of fires, caused by elevated air temperatures.
At the same time, forest fires continue to terrorize Europe and the USA. France has even involved Ukrainian rescuers to help contain the fires.
