Biebrza National Park is burning again

On Easter Sunday, a fire broke out in dry reed beds on the border of Augustów and Mońki counties in the Podlaskie Voivodeship. Biebrza National Park went up in flames, which by this morning had consumed 450 hectares. Hundreds of firefighters, soldiers, and park employees are working on-site, coordinated by an emergency response team.

Catastrophic fire in Biebrza National Park

The fire started on Sunday afternoon and spread overnight from 60 hectares to 450 hectares, engulfing the northern part of the park. The naturally marshy terrain of the Biebrza wetlands has significantly hindered rescue efforts, making it impossible to use standard firefighting vehicles. The battle against the flames is therefore primarily being waged through water drops from helicopters and firefighting planes, as well as ground operations by specially trained forest fire response units (GFFF – Ground Forest Fire Fighting). The entire operation is being coordinated by drone teams monitoring the fire’s development from the air.
On Sunday, the Podlaskie Voivode convened an emergency crisis team, which was joined the next day by Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Minister of the Interior and Administration Tomasz Siemoniak. An RCB (Government Security Centre) alert was issued for local residents, but so far there has been no need for evacuation.
As of last night, helicopters operated by the State Forests had completed 250 flights, dropping 125,000 liters of water, while a police Black Hawk helicopter dropped an additional 219,000 liters, according to Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. A total of 93 firefighting vehicles were used, including ATVs and specialized SHERP vehicles.

The situation remains difficult

This morning, Minister Siemoniak participated in a teleconference during which reports from the fire response teams in Biebrza National Park were presented. According to the updates, the fire has stopped spreading, but the danger has not yet been eliminated. On-site, 300 firefighters from the State and Volunteer Fire Services, 100 soldiers from the 1st Podlasie Territorial Defense Brigade, and 60 park employees continue their work. Additional emergency services remain on standby. The fire poses a significant threat to local wildlife, prompting the local Animal Rehabilitation Center to remain on high alert.
Covering an area of 592 km², Biebrza National Park is the largest national park in Poland, encompassing a peatland area unique in all of Europe. The Biebrza marshes are home to over 900 species of vascular plants, 48 species of mammals, and more than 300 species of birds – including many protected and endangered species. The fire threatens to destroy local ecosystems, with damages that could be extremely difficult to repair.

Biebrza National Park and fire risk

It’s worth recalling that in April 2020, Biebrza National Park also battled a similar fire. At that time, a total of 1,500 firefighters took part in the effort, working in shifts for an entire week. The fire was caused by illegal grass burning. According to scientists from the University of Warsaw, the peat deposits were not permanently damaged, but the surface layer of peat burned, causing harm to microflora and ground-nesting birds.
At Monday’s crisis meeting, Prime Minister Tusk thanked firefighters for their professionalism and dedication while emphasizing that intensifying droughts will continue to fuel wildfires, necessitating stricter regulations. The Council of Ministers will be discussing tougher penalties for illegal grass burning, the Prime Minister assured.
In relation to the fire in Biebrza, staff from Wigry National Park reported that the forests and meadows of the Suwałki Lake District are also extremely dry. Due to the difficult situation, the public is urged not to burn grass, smoke cigarettes, leave glass or litter on trails, or block gates that might be needed in case of a fire.

Main photo credit: mł. asp. Łukasz Rutkowski/Państwowa Straż Pożarna