Forest inferno getting closer: Fire brigade fights fires in Saxony and Brandenburg

Forest inferno getting closer: Fire brigade fights fires in Saxony and Brandenburg

Since Tuesday, July 1st, firefighters have been fighting a devastating forest fire in Gohrischheide, not far from Meißen in Saxony. The fire broke out on a former military training area, close to an explosion site, which made extinguishing work considerably more difficult. As early as Wednesday, July 3rd, it was determined that the inferno had spread to several hundred hectares and now covers an area of ​​around 1,000 hectares - that is more than three times the size of Tempelhofer Feld. Residents in the south of Berlin reported the smell of fire, which could be felt as far away as the capital due to the smoke berlin-live.de reported.

The complicated situation on site requires support from several federal states, and firefighters from all over Germany are on duty. The Bundeswehr is also providing assistance in the immediate vicinity of the fire area, and several helicopters are on the move to support the emergency services.
The Technical Relief Agency (THW) ensures that the fire engines are fueled and the emergency services are fed. However, due to the munitions-contaminated environment, there will continue to be major challenges in extinguishing the fire.

Crisis in Brandenburg

On the Brandenburg side, the fire brigade is still on alert. In several districts in Brandenburg, including Dahme-Spreewald and Märkisch Oderland, the highest forest fire level is 5. The emergency services are particularly concerned about possible flare-ups, as a critical situation is expected after a wind-related change on Friday evening, July 4th. Further new forest fires were reported in the districts of Oberhavel, Oberspreewald-Lausitz and Spree-Neiße, increasing the danger for the region, as tagesschau.de indicates.

On Friday evening the town of Jacobsthal Bahnhof was evacuated; However, there was no damage in the neighboring Heidehäuser settlement. The fire department is planning to mobilize additional emergency services for the coming weekend. Although the night was relatively calm, the situation remains tense. New satellite images should help to better assess the spread of the fire.

Background information on forest fires in Germany

Climate change is currently causing an increased frequency of forest fires. Nationwide, there were over 1,200 hectares destroyed by such fires in 2023. Last year, the damage was even more serious at over 3,000 hectares and was the highest in the last 30 years. Arson and negligence are common causes of forest fires, while natural causes only play a role in a few cases. Accordingly, it is not surprising that the number of forest fires in Germany, particularly in Brandenburg and Lower Saxony, has risen worryingly in recent years, the site explains Statista.

The unresolved problem regarding forest fires raises questions that are also urgent in the Brandenburg region. Despite the efforts of the fire department, the danger remains and citizens are asked to find out about possible fires in their area and to contact the fire department if anything is unusual - but only in emergencies.