Scholarly record
FIRE SAFETY IN PEAT EXTRACTION SITES IN LATVIA
Abstract
Today about 10% of Latvia's territory is occupied by peatlands (645,100 ha), but the extraction of peat happens in only 4% (25,739 ha) of the total. In regulatory documents peat bogs are mentioned as having a very high probability of flammability (in the context of climate change and other natural elements: drought, heat, lightning and deliberate or unintentional human activity). This indicates the need to improve fire safety by conducting research and improving regulatory frameworks. The aim of the study was to analyse the impact of forest fires on the forest ecosystem, to find out the causes of peat fires and the possibilities of reducing them. In order to analyse the situation in eight peat objects in Latvia, expert interviews were used as a qualitative data collection method and object evaluation in the context of fire safety. The results of the study show that existing fire extinguishing equipment meets regulatory requirements. On average 1-3 cases of fire occur in facilities every year, which are extinguished by the efforts of facility personnel. The three most important risk factors were found to be careless behaviour by employees and by third parties, and natural ignition of peat dust. Technical measures to minimize risks include monitoring the territory and providing sufficient water resources for more operative action in the event of a fire, including the installation of a deep well water intake point.
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