Fire in Lower Dniester National Park Causes ₴31.98M Damage

The damage caused by the fire in the Lower Dniester National Nature Park in Odesa region on March 18 was estimated at UAH 31 million 984 thousand.

This was reported by the administration of the National Park.

On March 18, at 6:27 am, a fire broke out near Bilyayivka in the Lower Dniester National Nature Park. Due to strong north and northwest winds, the fire quickly spread to the Bilyayivka and Mayakivska island areas. Employees of the State Emergency Service and police managed to localize the fire only at 14:30 the next day. However, the total area of the burned area amounted to 1,880 hectares.

The National Park administration noted that this time the ecosystem was not critically affected. The nesting season is just beginning, and most birds have not yet had time to build nests. Many mammals, amphibians, and reptiles are still in a state of hibernation or just coming out of it.

"But if such fires recur later, at the height of the breeding season, the consequences could be catastrophic," the National Park noted.

The administration also proposed a number of measures to prevent such events. For example, installing surveillance cameras, equipping the national park with the necessary fire extinguishing equipment, training park employees and volunteers to act in case of fire, and organizing quick access of fire brigades to floodplains.

It should be noted that this is the second fire in this national park in a year, as in July 2024, the burning of dry vegetation in the Lower Dniester National Nature Park "Whispering Floodplains" led to the release of 285 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. At that time, state inspectors calculated the damage to the air to be almost UAH 886 million.

Кирило Бойко