Features of the occurrence of accidents during extinguishing forest fires

The article evaluates the factors influencing the process of extinguishing forest fires. The analysis of the dynamics of the number of victims of accidents, including fatal cases in the period 2016–2023, is given. The distribution of accidents according to the severity of the consequences and by type of accidents, including the use of aviation, is also provided. A comparative analysis of known cases where several people (4 or more) were simultaneously injured in incidents with aircraft that occurred during forest and wildfire extinguishing operations, by individual countries and years in the period 1970–2023, is given. The analysis uses data from statistical and operational reports of regional and federal dispatching services. The results of the expert assessment of specialists of forest fire formations were used. The classification of cases of injuries in extinguishing forest fires according to the severity of the consequences is given. It has been established that the proportion of severe and fatal cases is consistently in the range 20–40 % of the total. The risks of injury when using aviation reach 35–40 % of all accidents. This is mainly due to the activities of paratroopers, firefighters, parachutists, and observer pilots. Three risk groups were noted: accidents related to the state of health (arthropod and snake bites, heart failure, poisoning, diseases, etc.) – 6 %, accidents that occurred during measures to deliver workers to the fire and back (crossings on foot in the forest, trips by land and water transport) – in total 41 %, accidents caused by the impact of negative factors of the production environment (working with moving mechanisms and sharp tools, falling trees and branches at the work site, thermal burns, etc.) – 53 %. A comparison of the situations in Russia and the United States shows a similar dynamics of worker deaths due to the main causes of accidents. Ananalysis of deaths shows that peaks in worker deaths are associated with group episodes. Groups of factors affecting the level of injury and the degree of negative consequences are identified.

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