Why you cannot burn deadwood near power facilities, – DTEK Donetsk Grids explains

Burning old grass, weeds and branches, reckless handling of fire is very dangerous. Dry and windy weather significantly increases the risk of fires and large conflagrations. And starting a fire near power lines may cause damage and outages in the grids. 

“In addition to shelling, an uncontrolled burning of dry leaves, grass and cane often causes fires in spring. Therefore, we urge residents of the region to stop burning dry grass and observe rules of fire safety near power facilities. Please remember that your reckless actions can not only damage electrical equipment, but also endanger lives of people near the electrical installations,” – noted the company. 

Both ground and crown fires pose a threat to the grids. During the ground fire, the trunk of the tree catches fire near the roots, thus causing trees to fall on wires. During the crown fire, high temperature causes melting of the wire and its burnout. 

DTEK Donetsk Grids reminds of 5 simple rules worth remembering: 

• Be careful with the fire: do not start a fire near power lines and electrical installations; 
• Pay attention to safety: do not approach power equipment and do not interfere with its operation; 
• Keep your distance: avoid staying near power lines during strong wind. If you discover a broken wire, please stay 8-12 meters away; 
• Do not conduct repairs by yourself: in case of power outages – contact the specialists. If a blackout happened in an apartment or house – contact an electrician, servicing your house. If there is a blackout at the entire street – contact DTEK Donetsk Grids; 
• Inform about danger: if you discovered a damage on electrical equipment, open doors of electric installations, please inform the company immediately. Call our contact center +38 (093/096/099) 450 0 473 or write to us on Facebook;