The village of Slobidske in the Kharkiv district has become a danger area due to a large-scale fire of dry vegetation, the State Emergency Service reported.
Located east of Kharkiv, Slobidske is located next to a ring road and was the former residence of over a hundred people before the war.
The fire broke out on March 13 at around 5:00 p.m., and favorable windy weather helped it spread quickly over a large area. Residents only called for help when the flames approached residential buildings.
Arriving at the scene, rescuers recorded a total area of 7 hectares of fire. To eliminate the fire and save the village, 10 operational units from Kharkiv were called in to help, sending 10 fire trucks and more than 50 people. The constant fight against the fire lasted 13 hours.
After conducting an analysis, the State Emergency Service determined that the fire was caused by the negligence of people who burned garbage and dry vegetation themselves last year.
“This is simply a crime committed by citizens themselves, setting fire to their own environment. They may think that this will help them cope with their garden plots and the surrounding area. But they do not understand that in this way they are causing irreparable harm to the environment, destroying vegetation and wildlife,” the State Emergency Service noted.
Rescuers are urging residents of the Kharkiv region to refrain from burning garbage and dry vegetation.
