Seven hectares of vegetation were destroyed by a fire in the Petru Voda locality, which was intentionally set, the Neamt County Emergency Situations Inspectorate (ISU) reported on Wednesday.

The firefighting operation, which lasted approximately eight hours, involved military firefighters from Targu Neamt and Poiana Teiului, as well as volunteers from local forestry departments.

„The fire occurred about 1.5 kilometres away from the access road for fire trucks, covering an area of approximately seven hectares, with the potential to spread to the forest area. The open fire in open spaces is the probable cause of the fire,” said ISU Neamt spokesperson Irina Popa.

Firefighters remind people that wildfires can spread to homes, households, or forests, putting people’s lives at risk.

When conducting land cleaning through burning, it is mandatory to obtain approval from the Environmental Protection Agency and a fire work permit.

Burning stubble, forest litter, or herbaceous vegetation is strictly prohibited and constitutes an offense, being penalised with a fine ranging from 7,500 lei to 15,000 lei for individuals, and from 50,000 lei to 100,000 lei for legal entities.

AGERPRES