Essential elements for estimating threat to humans caused by effects of wildfire and forest fire in particular

Abstract

There has been an increase in the occurrence in threats to life, environment and property caused by disastrous wildfires, and especially forest fires in the territory of Serbia. Firefighters-rescue service members are citizens taking part in fire extinguishing and rescue operations are exposed to multiple destructive factors involved in such situations. In the period between 2009 and 2015, these destructive effects of fire caused morbidity in 57 firefighters and 267 citizens and mortality in of 53 citizens. It is therefore necessary to comprehend the origin and type of destructive factors and risks to humans and the environment in order to foresee and provide measures for protection against fire more easily. The procedure for alleviating threats to humans related to destructive factors involved in wildfire and especially forest fires is based on identifying, analysing, and estimating potential risks and threats. The paper focuses on the influence of destructive factors of fire and forest fire in particular, as well as morbidity and mortality rates in the course and immediately after the fire in the territory of the Republic of Serbia. Authors have suggested a systematization of severity indexes - elements essential for assessing the risk levels - which have been categorised into three ranks and six types (flammable substances, scope of fire, location of origin, fire intensity, surface layout, air temperature, rainfall, relative air humidity and wind intensity). Based on the proposed method of aqssessing risks and threats from forest fires, responsible services can establish the levels of danger and take necessary measures for the protection of persons participating in extinguishing fires and rescue operations.

Na području Srbije sve je učestalija pojava pretnji po ljude, životnu sredinu i materijalna dobra od katastrofalnih požara na otvorenom prostoru, a posebno u šumama. Vatrogasci-spasioci i građani, učesnici akcija gašenja po- žara i spasavanja na otvorenom prostoru, a posebno kod šumskih požara, izloženi su uticajima više destruktivnih faktora požara. U periodu od 2009. do 2015. godine od efekata destruktivnih faktora požara na otvorenom prostoru došlo je do morbiditeta 57 vatrogasaca i 267 ostalih lica i mortaliteta 53 ostala lica. Razumevanjem pojava i vrste destruktivnih faktora požara i rizika po ljude i životnu sredinu lakše se planiraju i obezbeđuju mere zaštite. Postupak smanjenja ugroženosti ljudi od destruktivnih faktora požara na otvorenom prostoru zasniva se na identifikaciji, analizi i proceni potencijalnih rizika i pretnji. U radu je obrađen uticaj destruktivnih faktora požara na otvorenom prostoru i posebno u šumskim požarima, kao i mortalitet i morbiditet za vreme i neposredno nakon požara na teritoriji Republike Srbije. Takođe, u radu su predloženi i kvantifikovani u tri ranga i šest vrsta (gorive materije, veličine požara, mesta nastajanja, intenzitet požara, konfiguracija terena, temperatura vazduha, količina padavina, relativne vlažnosti vazduha i jačine vetra) težinski indeksi - elementi od značaja za ocenjivanje nivoa rizika. Na osnovu predloženog načina procene ugroženosti i rizika od šumskih požara, nadležne službe mogu sagledati nivoe opasnosti i preduzeti potrebne mere za zaštitu zdravlja učesnika akcija gašenja požara i spasavanja.