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Danger of forest fires in Brandenburg: This is how hot the coming week will be!
The risk of forest fires in Barnim and other regions of Brandenburg has reached warning level 4. Hot, dry days are threatening.
Danger of forest fires in Brandenburg: This is how hot the coming week will be!
The risk of forest fires has now reached a worrying level in large parts of Brandenburg. The second highest warning level of 4 on the forest fire danger index applies in almost all regions, which means that the risk of an outbreak is significantly increased. According to the FAZ The districts of Barnim, Havelland, Oberhavel, Ostprignitz-Ruppin, Prignitz and Uckermark are particularly affected by warning level 3, which represents the medium danger level.
Dramatic weather conditions are expected in the coming days. The German Weather Service forecasts temperatures of up to 23 degrees in the Uckermark and up to 29 degrees in the Elbe-Elster district on Monday. But that's just the beginning: from Tuesday it will get even hotter, with highs of 31 to 35 degrees, and on Wednesday even up to 39 degrees are possible. These parameters mean that Brandenburg, with its extensive pine forests, low rainfall and light sandy soils, has the highest risk of forest fires in Germany.
Current forest fire statistics
By the end of May 2023, the fire departments in Brandenburg reported 125 forest fires. The situation has become increasingly worse in recent years: the number of fires rose from 548 in 2021 to an alarming 2,397 in 2022, which is the highest number in 30 years. The development, as in the ZDF reported is particularly worrying because 2023 is also close to the average with 1,059 fires so far. The area burned exceeded 1,240 hectares - also above the long-term average of 859 hectares.
The dangers are diverse: Causes of fire include, among other things, human error, such as arson and throwing away lit cigarettes. Over 50% of forest fires are caused by humans, which shows that education and prevention measures are urgently needed. In a comprehensive approach, the DWD recommends increasing the proportion of hardwood through mixed forests and creating forest fire barriers.
Precautions and preventive measures
The forest fire danger index is updated daily and assesses the situation for the next four days using data from over 500 weather stations. To ensure the safety of people and nature, special preventive measures in endangered areas are essential. This includes the creation of protective strips and artificial fire water extraction points in order to be able to react quickly in an emergency.
In the last few years alone, it has become clear that intensive public relations work is necessary in regions at risk in order to help raise awareness and prevent fires. We strongly advise you to be careful, especially near forests, in the coming days.