Aleksey Pesoshin: 'No significant breakthrough in fire protection has been achieved'

There is a positive trend

As of May 12, 2,332 fires have occurred in Tatarstan since the beginning of the year, killing 90 people and injuring 71. At the same time, in the period from 5 to 12 May, it was possible to reduce the number of fires compared to the same period last year by 46%, or in absolute numbers — by 176 fires.

“A little more than a week has passed since our last meeting, where we discussed additional measures to stabilise the situation with fires," Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Aleksey Pesoshin said at the meeting of the Commission for the Prevention and Elimination of Emergencies and Ensuring Fire Safety of the Republic of Tatarstan. “The situation remains difficult. A significant breakthrough in the protection of people and territories from fires has not yet been achieved.

The speaker reminded that quite recently a serious fire has occurred in the garden society Kama of the Tukayevsky district, which destroyed 26 buildings. The fire on the territory moved from an open area through dry grass. Pesoshin considers the failure of the leaders of the garden society to be the reason for the incident.

The prime minister noted that there are also positive aspects in Tatarstan. For example, the duty guards of the EMERCOM of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan are engaged in active preventive work among the population.

“Every day, more than 200 groups patrol the households of citizens," Pesoshin said. “As a result, there has been a positive trend, the increase in the number of fires and the number of people killed in them has decreased.

Most often, it is burning of dead wood

The employees of the ministry of emergency situations patrol settlements, garden societies, and the lands near massifs, so that dry vegetation is not burned there. According to the deputy head of the EMERCOM of Russia for the Republic of Tatarstan, Sergey Sergeev, 854 preventive groups have been formed for this purpose, more than 7,000 patrols have been conducted.

“Burning dry grass and garbage still accounts for a large percentage of fires," said Sergeev. “This is about 38% of the total.

Officials are also held accountable for late cleaning of dead wood and its burning. Aksubaevsky, Verkhneuslonsky, Zainsky, Yelabuzhsky, Muslyumovsky, Nurlatsky, and Cheremshansky districts showed the worst indicators in this matter. For example, in Verkhny Uslon, there were 10 fires of dry grass, in Zainsk — 35, and in Yelabuga and Cheremshan — 31 and 28, respectively.

“It's an unpleasant job to remind and punish”

At the end of his speech, Sergeyev proposed to extend the special fire-fighting regime in Tatarstan.

“Taking into account the current situation and unfavourable weather forecast associated with the establishment of abnormally hot weather, the Main Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the Republic of Tatarstan proposes to extend the special fire protection regime," said the speaker.

The proposal was supported by First Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan Rustam Nigmatullin. He also recommended that the heads of municipalities strengthen control over compliance with fire safety requirements.

“If we do not control the situation on fire safety — there will be no order," he is sure. “It's an unpleasant job to remind and punish. However, it also needs to be done. After coordination with the Prosecutor's Office of Tatarstan, I think, a positive decision will be made to extend the special fire protection regime," he concluded.