Dautbašić on forest fires: Expertise and knowledge exist, but the state has done nothing

SARAJEVO, (Patria)  - Fires raging across BiH in recent days have concerned experts who warn that forests recover slowly from fires, especially in inaccessible areas where firefighting and reforestation are difficult.

Mirza Dautbašić, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry in Sarajevo, told the Patria News Agency that in 99% of cases, the human factor is to blame. 

“It is scientifically proven that fires occur at the beginning of spring when the population prepares land for agricultural work, and another wave during the summer. It is clear that we are all dealing with the coronavirus now, but we must also think about what will happen after the coronavirus,” said Dautbašić.

He warned that extremely dry weather and strong winds contribute to the spread of fires, which quickly get out of control. He points out that it is also evident now that the system in the FBiH is not functioning, and that the state does not care at all about its most valuable natural resource. Forests are left to the cantons for management. 

Dean Dautbašić also states that the danger of fires still exists given the period of stable weather conditions without precipitation.

“I urge citizens to refrain from lighting fires on their properties; there are other ways to manage land. As the Crisis Staff adopts various measures, it is necessary to prohibit lighting fires within 50 meters of the forest edge. Forecasts indicate a hot and dry summer, which increases the risk of fires,” said Dautbašić. 

He concludes that expertise and knowledge exist, but the state has done nothing to protect its natural resources. 

The Ministry of Security of BiH has received calls for assistance in extinguishing fires in Srebrenik, Ruište, Čvrsnica, Tuzla, Prozor-Rama, and Lukavac. Fires have also affected the area of Nišići Plateau and Čevljanovići, and according to information available to Patria, they were set intentionally. 

The Association of Forestry Engineers and Technicians of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (UŠIT FBiH) issued a press release today, warning the public and state institutions about the necessity of a more effective approach to this important problem and comprehensive protection of forest resources from forest fires, and the involvement of all relevant state institutions, from the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, SIPA, prosecutor's offices at all levels of government, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, entity and cantonal ministries of forestry and interior ministries, to react urgently, investigate, and punish individuals or organized groups with the strictest legal penalties prescribed for all the damage they have caused by setting forest fires, which is currently immeasurable to forest ecosystems, both economically, ecologically, and in every other aspect. 

“The ultimate result is deforestation, i.e., the disappearance of forests in a certain area with all the negative consequences for human life. This state of emergency does not mean that anything goes; it is time for state institutions to act urgently. Due to the threatening situation regarding forest fires, the Association of Forestry Engineers and Technicians of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina appeals for the adoption of a Law on Forest Protection at the state level, and the adoption of a Law on Forests of the FBiH, because it has been confirmed once again that without coordinated activities at the state and entity levels, cantons alone, within their competencies and economic parameters, cannot combat this problem on their own, as such and similar phenomena know no borders. Due to the absence of a legal framework for forests at the level of BiH and FBiH, there are no adequate services to deal with the policy of Integral Forest Protection, which would have a preventive and repressive character at the level of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the FBiH,” it is stated.  

The forestry profession, as the most qualified, warns and suggests to the competent institutions at all levels of government in BiH that the issue of illegal logging, as well as the occurrence of a large number of forest fires, must be resolved systematically, as we are responsible to this and future generations. 

“The year 2012 must not be repeated in terms of the number of fires, the burned area, and the direct and indirect damage caused to forests and forest land in the FBiH. The calculated direct damage for 2012 was around 50 million KM, while the indirect damage is significantly higher and, according to world parameters, reaches 10 to 17 times the value of direct damage,” stated UŠIT FBiH.