A grandmother and her granddaughter were burning rubbish in Odesa region and mistook a State Emergency Service drone for an enemy drone

A drone helped rescuers spot a pile of burning rubbish near a residential building in Tatarbunary, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district, Odesa region. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported the incident.

Community rescue officers were conducting a routine ecosystem patrol when they spotted smoke rising over one of the yards. An inspection showed that a local woman and her granddaughter were clearing the area by burning rubbish. This method of disposal violated fire safety rules.

The quadcopter overhead frightened the grandmother and her granddaughter: they thought it was an enemy drone. When rescuers arrived at the yard, it became clear there was no aerial threat — their attention had been drawn by smoke from the fire.

The women admitted they had broken the rules and promised to follow safety requirements in future. Despite this, an administrative report was drawn up against the property owner under Article 175 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses.

Rescuers warn residents of Odesa region: fires caused by burning rubbish, dry grass or fallen leaves can spread, spark a large-scale blaze and destroy property. When clearing the area around your home, waste must be disposed of safely.

Since the outbreak of large-scale ecosystem fires in Ukraine, flames have already destroyed around 2,250 hectares of land.

Previously, we reported:

• “They were in the way”: two walnut trees cut down and rubbish burned in garages in Korabelnyi — UAH 8,900 fine
• “Burning rubbish is dangerous! If you see a fire, call us,” says the State Environmental Inspectorate
• In Mykolaiv region, a woman sparked a dry grass fire and was hospitalized with severe burns
• Rescuers reminded residents of Korabelnyi district about safety rules
• “SOS! SOS! SOS! There’s no respite in autumn or spring…” — Korabelnyi residents on the problem of fires that make life miserable