Authorities lift restrictions on visiting forests

April 7, Pozirk. All bans and restrictions on visiting forests in force since mid-March have been lifted, the forestry ministry reports.

By late March, restrictions were in effect in more than 70 out of 118 Belarusian districts due to dry and abnormally warm weather. Heavy rains followed in April and alleviated the situation.

Spring-like temperatures made last March one of the five warmest first spring months since 1945, according to Biełhidramet.

Earlier, a weather service official said that warming has negatively affected conditions for Belarus’ cash crops such as flax and potatoes.

Belarus’ average temperature has been rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius every decade.