In the article the methodical fundamentals of ecological-economic approach to the evalu-ation and selection of the areas of the use of peat to reduce the risk of forest-peat fires. Peat is a unique natural formation and one of the most important natural resources of Russia. Deposits of peat (about 235 billion tons) occupy a huge area, some of which are dehydrated in the course of various natural and or man-made processes. Currently, the development of dehydrated peat deposits became distressed. Annual production does not exceed 6 million tons of peat conditional humidity. At the same time, the peat is an important regional element of energy security, the most valuable ecologically clean raw materials to produce more than 70 kinds of products for many industries.Another reason leading to the merits of the regulation of the extent of peat, especially from dehydrated fields, is the problem of fires beyond the fighting, which is extremely damag-ing for people, ecosystems and the economy as a whole. The number of fires and area burnt over the last three years has been steadily increasing. Only in 2010 on the territory of the Russian Federation was formed on 1162 hearth peat fires on the total area 2092 hectares, covered by fire and smoke regions mortality in July 2010, has grown considerably in Moscow on 50,7%). Material damage from fires only in 2010 is estimated at about 12 billion rubles Significant funds are being spent on watering of dry peat deposits (2011 – 1.1 billion rubles; 2012–2013. – RUB 4.6 billion) to prevent large-scale nega-tive consequences for the environment. Thus, maintenance of industrial activities on peat extraction should provide a significant reduction of risk of negative environmental impacts from forest and peat fires. Therefore, issues related to environmental and economic feasibility of the use of dehydrated peat depos-its, it is reasonable to consider the possibility of reducing the damage from forest and peat fires, particularly near major population centres.

Keywords

The ecological and economic mechanism of evaluation and selection of uses of peat deposits. Forest and peat fires.