Ahić: Don't start fires, you are endangering public safety and can be prosecuted

SARAJevo, (Patria) - A large number of fires have been registered across BiH in recent days, mostly caused by human factors. Professor at the Faculty of Criminal Justice, Criminology and Security Studies Jasmin Ahić warned on N1 program that prison sentences ranging from one to 12 years are prescribed for such arsons.

"After the order of the FBiH Crisis Staff that farmers can carry out agricultural activities on their properties, there has been a boom in fires in recent days, which in 99 percent of cases were caused by human factors. In SBK, 90 small fires in five days, in Tuzla and around Mostar, indicate that everything was caused by human negligence," said Ahić. 

He stated that "there is no burning of fires in gardens or fields.". 

"Simply no fire. Penalties for this range from misdemeanor to criminal, from one to 12 years. This is an absurdity, and we call on everyone who is preparing to be in their gardens and fields that there is no burning," added Ahić. 

He reminds that until seven days ago, when there was snow and rain, there were no problems. 

"We are constantly warned, and the meteorological forecast indicates when there will be wind. Do not burn weeds, collect them and leave them. That is the only option. Because it is easier for someone to get to the field or forest, these things happen. First, a criminal offense is committed, and the Law on Fire Protection and Firefighting states that we are obliged to extinguish the fire, and if we are unable to do so, to notify the firefighters and the police. All this burning burdens all resources, from civil protection to health centers," the professor said. 

The Criminal Codes of BiH, Ahić adds, also deal with criminal offenses committed by negligence. 

"The fact that someone does not know does not absolve them of responsibility. There are three criminal offenses: arson, causing a fire, and causing general danger. This is very critical for forests, because clearing undergrowth to access timber leads to fires. Let's be solidary and not harm ourselves," Ahić advises. 

According to him, there is also a category of pyromaniacs who set fires consciously, but he notes that 99 fires were caused by a combination of circumstances and the inability to extinguish fires, or a traditional segment where burning is used to access certain areas. 

"This is an emergency, everything has changed. We must also change our work habits, so as not to put ourselves and others in a situation of general danger, because it is true that in these four days we have had so many fires since the weather became sunny," he adds. 

Regarding BiH's problems with equipment and means for extinguishing fires, Ahić says that the security sector has problems, but that citizens need to help them. 

"We have fire and flood seasons. We have a part related to anthropogenic threats. When we enter the EU civil sector, we will have to answer for everything that happens, such as earthquakes, fires, and the like. Politicizing certain things is unacceptable. Integrated management, not centralization in the political segment, will have to happen, and it will happen soon," says Ahić. 

When asked who to expect help from if the fire situation continues, Jahić says that Croatia is facing similar fire problems as BiH, but that air tractors from Montenegro will help us. 

"We have what we have, but in an emergency, we must not cause other segments of BiH's security system to waste resources," he concluded.