This year’s burning of witches in Prague will limit the ban on making bonfires

Commercial presentation Update: 29/04/2024 16:50
Issued by: 29/04/2024, 16:50

Prague – In Prague, due to the warning of meteorologists about the danger of fires, a ban on starting fires in risky places, such as parks, forest stands, gardens and forest parks, will come into effect on Tuesday. It will last until midnight on Thursday. Municipality spokesman Vít Hofman told ČTK today. The ban will also limit the traditional burning of witches, which this year falls on a Tuesday. However, organizers of large reported events with ensured fire safety and under the supervision of firefighters can use the exception in the city ordinance and light bonfires to a limited extent. Firefighters mainly warn against unorganized fires that can turn into a fire. In the Central Bohemia region, starting from Tuesday, fires may not be lit, not even in gardens. The ban is related to the ČHMÚ warning about the danger of fires.

For example, Prague 6, which has been organizing the Witches on Ladronc for many years, met the conditions for lighting fires even during the ban. “This means that firefighters from the Lysolaje rescue service will be present at the scene, and we have registered the event at the regional operations and information center of the Fire and Rescue Service. The border will therefore be lit in the standard mode with increased protection from the volunteer fire service, but in connection with the current situation, it will be earlier – in the order of dozens of minutes – extinguished,” said the sixth city district on Facebook today.

For firefighters, the most important thing is that the fire does not turn into a fire, Prague fire brigade spokesman Martin Kavka told ČTK. With organized bonfires, they are sure that volunteer firefighters will not only supervise the burning, but will also check the bonfire after the event is over. However, they do not have such a guarantee for various home or neighborhood fires in gardens, parks or abandoned places. Fires often start only after people leave and leave the fire pit full of hot ashes unattended. “We therefore recommend people to participate in organized events where fire safety is ensured,” added Kavka.

Prague automatically bans bonfires in risky places in case of warnings from meteorologists. The ban on making fires will also apply in the neighboring Central Bohemia region from Tuesday. Each region deals with the situation differently, Kavka pointed out.

Starting today, the meteorologist’s warning of an increased risk of fire is valid in the southwest of Moravia, on Tuesday it will spread to a large part of the country due to high temperatures and increasing winds. The exception is the Zlín, Olomouc and Moravian-Silesian regions and the extreme south-west and west of Bohemia. “The risk of fires will decrease as a result of local showers likely on Friday, May 3,” meteorologists said.

In the Central Bohemia region, starting from Tuesday, fires may not be lit, not even in gardens near the forest

In the Central Bohemia region, starting from Tuesday, fires may not be lit, not even in gardens near the forest or in gardens with continuous plant growth that allows the fire to spread further. The ban is related to the warning of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) against the danger of fires. The regulation concerns making or maintaining an open fire as well as other risky activities. It is currently valid until midnight on Wednesday, but may be extended. Violations are subject to a fine, spokeswoman for the Central Bohemian Fire Department, Veronika Švorcová Mocová, told ČTK today. In the case of an organized “burning of witches”, it will be possible to carry out the event under security conditions, David Šíma, spokesman for the Central Bohemian Governorship, informed ČTK.

“The meteorological conditions will be such that it will record the spread of the fire,” said Švorcová Mocová. Because an open fire could easily catch fire and spread due to drought and wind, in addition to making fires, smoking, using pyrotechnics, driving a steam locomotive, driving cars onto field and forest roads, or releasing lucky lanterns are also prohibited.

The measure does not apply to private events in a secured location, if it is not open burning and the fire pit is sufficiently enclosed and secured against the transfer of fire by wind and the like. “The ordered measures apply to places with an increased risk of fire, especially to areas of forests and permanent vegetation allowing the spread of fires, such as meadows,” explained the Governor of the Central Bohemian Region, Petra Pecková (STAN). When burning, fire prevention measures must be ensured, such as, among other things, constant supervision and it must not be a place with an increased risk of fire. The Central Bohemian fire department will provide details to the organizers.

A similar ban applies from today also in the south-west of Moravia. However, due to drought, high temperatures and increasing winds, the warning will gradually spread to other areas of the Czech Republic.

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