Poland praying for rain amid spate of forest fires
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
25.04.2019 12:13
Around 3,000 fires have broken out in Polish forests since the start of this year - twice as many as in the same period in 2018 - amid a prolonged spell of dry weather.
Firefighters tackle a blaze in Cieksyn, east-central Poland, earlier this week.
Photo: PAP/Tomasz Gzell
Deputy Environment Minister Małgorzata Golińska told public broadcaster Polish Radio: “A lack of water, a lack of rain, is unfortunately leading to catastrophic situations.”
Fire brigade spokesman Paweł Frątczak said most fires covered large areas and were being fanned by strong winds.
Bożena Wysocka, from the Government Security Centre, said that nine in ten fires were caused by people.
The most common causes of forest fires are careless adults throwing away cigarette butts and matches, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
(pk)
Source: IAR