LocationsBelarusian foresters train for an unrelenting fire season.
Forest Fires Take No Break
January 23, 2026
Photo: Ministry of Forestry of Belarus/UNDP in Belarus
For Belarusian foresters, winter has traditionally been a time of respite — a quiet season free from the threat of forest fires. However, the climatic realities of recent years are blurring the usual boundaries between seasons. Where the fire season once began in March or May, reports of fires now arrive alarmingly early. This year, the first blaze was recorded in early January; last year, the first forest fire broke out in February.
The quite winter months have become a critical period of intensive preparation for those on the front lines of a battle against forest fires.
Forest fires are becoming an increasingly serious threat to Belarusian forests, particularly in the southern regions of the country. Rising temperatures and dry springs without a smooth transition from frost to thaw degrade forests health and create ideal conditions for the rapid spread of fire.
Photo: Ministry of Forestry of Belarus/UNDP in Belarus.
Data from the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus for 2025 confirms the seriousness of the situation: forestry specialists responded to 765 forest fires, with the total area affected by flames exceeding 1,200 hectares.
Photo: Ministry of Forestry of Belarus/UNDP in Belarus.
The nation’s forestry enterprises form the first line of defense. Their specialists are the first to detect fires and the first to begin extinguishing them. Their expertise, skills, and coordination determine whether a fire is stopped at an early stage or explodes into a large-scale disaster.
That is why the training and continuous professional development of forestry employees in the Brest and Gomel regions has become a key element of the project “Safeguarding Forests of Belarus: A Comprehensive Fire Preparedness Initiative for Community-Based Fire Prevention and Response”, jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus, with finding from China’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund.
As part of this initiative, training programs are being developed for three key groups—local communities, forestry workers, and schoolchildren — to enhance preparedness at every level.
A specialized training held on the 20 of January in the Brest region, designed for professionals from the region’s 15 forestry enterprises, exemplifies the project's proactive and systematic approach to strengthening the capacity of forestry specialists.
The training focused on fire prevention, early detection, and tactics for extinguishing forest fires. The mid-winter timing was a strategic choice — readiness must be absolute before the fire season truly begins.
Participants examined both theoretical and practical aspects of their work in detail, covering the legislative framework as well as precise procedures for detecting, containing, and extinguishing forest fires.
Special attention was paid to firefighting tactics, which demand a strict, methodical approach. The primary task is always containment — creating barriers and conditions that prevent the fire from spreading further.
Backfiring during a large-scale forest fire.
Photo: Ministry of Forestry of Belarus/UNDP in Belarus.
Only after a fire is contained does the commander select the optimal method for extinguishing it. This decision hinges on numerous factors: the type of fire (ground, crown, or peat), the terrain, prevailing weather conditions, and the resources available.
Participants gave particular focus to one of the most complex and high-risk techniques — backfiring. This method involves using fire to combat fire by setting a controlled burn that moves toward the main fire front. When the two fronts meet, the resulting counter-draft significantly reduces the intensity of the main flame and halts its advance. The use of this tactic requires precise calculations of wind, humidity, and terrain, as any miscalculation could worsen the situation. It is typically used in conjunction with the creation of mineralized strips — wide firebreaks cleared down to the soil — that block the spread of a ground fire.
Logistics and planning were equally critical. Participants reviewed protocols for detecting a fire’s source using aerial surveillance, rapidly identifying nearby water sources, and strategically deploying personnel and equipment. During peak danger hours — from noon to 5 p.m., when winds intensify and humidity drops — every minute and every liter of water counts.
Photo: Ministry of Forestry of Belarus/UNDP in Belarus.
The work, however, does not end when the flames are extinguished. A crucial monitoring stage follows, involving patrols of the affected area to prevent re-ignition from smoldering roots or peat.
Importantly, the impact of such training is designed to be long-term. Beyond these individual sessions, the newly developed curriculum will be integrated into the national forestry training system, ensuring that all personnel across the sector receive advanced instruction on an ongoing basis.
This training serves as a powerful example of local action addressing a global climate challenge. It underscores the growing importance of international partnerships, through which countries share expertise and resources to confront common threats. Such projects align with UNDP’s global priorities of enhancing the resilience of local communities to climate change and strengthening national capacities for natural resource management and disaster risk reduction.
Forest firefighting is a continuous cycle of response, analysis, and improvement. Yet, as the workshop participants emphasized, the ultimate goal of this complex and dangerous work remains unchanged: not only to extinguish the fire and preserve the forest, but above all — to save human lives.
The skills acquired in the quiet of winter are the key to ensuring safety during a fire season that, each year, arrives a little sooner.
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