Series of fires at BER airport: Police warn of arsonists!

Series of fires at BER airport: Police warn of arsonists!

Recently, events in Großziethen near Schönefeld, not far from BER airport, have escalated. The local emergency services are repeatedly challenged by a series of fires that affect fields as well as hay bales and tractors. Moz.de reports that the police and fire brigade are currently investigating the arsonists under high pressure, because the motive and the perpetrators are still unclear. Major fires occur again and again, which represent an immense challenge for the fire department and tie up up to 80 emergency services.

What is particularly alarming is that these fires often occur in dry weather and especially on weekends. There were already eight fires in the region in April 2025 - a trend that has continued to worsen in recent weeks. Anyone who makes suspicious observations is encouraged to report them to the police as quickly as possible. The contact persons can be reached via telephone number 030 634800 or the Brandenburg Police website.

Danger warnings and extinguishing work

Most recently, the fire department and residents were alerted again by an incident in Großziethen. On June 12, 2025, there was a danger message that was distributed via the warning app Nina. The reason: burning hay bales. Residents were asked to keep windows and doors closed as the smoke moved south. The fire department was alerted at 1:15 p.m. and was finally able to give the all-clear at 5 p.m. Maz-online reports of an increase in hay bale fires in recent weeks, with the last similar incident occurring as recently as June 1st. At that time, 50 bales of straw burned.

The police have largely ruled out a technical defect as the cause of the fire and are therefore investigating the suspicion of possible arson. The possibility of spontaneous combustion is being considered, but farmer Werner Mette doubts this theory. Mette is in possession of the hay bales, which have been stored for two years, and is facing significant damage that includes lost feed, damaged fences and a tractor.

The challenges for the fire department

The fire department in Schönefeld reports an increasingly overloaded situation. The large number of missions, especially on weekends, pushes the forces to the limit. Ifs-ev highlights that fires in agricultural areas are particularly critical as they not only endanger human lives but can also cause significant economic damage.

The region must prepare for this ongoing threat. The fire department and the police work hand in hand to meet this challenge and ensure the safety of the population. Suspicious observations are therefore always important and should not be ignored. Every report can help find the perpetrators and stop the series of fires.