Due to the unfavorable meteorological situation, the Central Bohemian Region Governor, Petra Pecková (STAN), declared a period of prolonged drought on Thursday. Based on this order, a ban on open fires in the open air, smoking, the release of “lanterns of happiness,” the use of fireworks, and steam locomotive rides, which were due to take place this coming weekend, is in force until further notice.
Water from sources intended for firefighting may not be used for other purposes. Vehicles are also prohibited from entering dirt roads and may not be stopped where the undercarriage may contact highly flammable materials such as dry grass or leaves.
Violation of the regulation, the activation of which was recommended by the fire department, may be punishable as a misdemeanor or other administrative offense.
An average of six millimeters of rain fell last week, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ), which is 50 percent of the long-term normal in Bohemia and almost three-quarters in Moravia and Silesia.
On a third of the Czech Republic’s streams, current flows are at 25 percent of the average for this time of year. Water levels in shallow wells are currently firmly below normal and should continue to fall slightly in the coming days.
As pointed out by the Intersucho project, the ground severely lacks snow cover, which was almost non-existent in the lowlands during the winter. This is particularly evident compared to last year, when the soil moisture situation was significantly more favorable.
Meteorologists’ outlook shows that we should see more significant precipitation next week when it gets pretty noticeably colder.