Glass shards in the forest: risk of fire or exaggeration? Experts argue!

Glass shards in the forest: risk of fire or exaggeration? Experts argue!

Elbe-Elster, Deutschland - The discussion about the dangers of broken glass for our forests picks up speed. Especially in times of high temperatures and persistent drought, the question arises whether these apparently harmless remains can actually trigger forest fires. The chairman of the German Forest Protection Association, Dirk Hartung, has now declared that broken glass, especially bottle floors, can bundle sunlight and thus potentially spark fire. Hartung recommends testing this yourself by holding a broken glass in the sun. Such warnings could be particularly important in the hot summer months like this July, since the risk of forest fire due to the dryness in Germany increases , like MAZ-Online reports .

Not all experts are of this opinion. The meteorologist Jörg Kachelmann sees no physical basis for the assumption that broken glass can cause forest fires. In his opinion, arson is the most common cause of fire in the Elbe-Elster district and not the alleged burning glass phenomenon of broken glass. Raimund Engel, the forest protection officer in Brandenburg, is also skeptical. He refers to a field trial from 2006, in which broken glass lit a fire under extreme conditions-unless a magnifying glass was used , as Greenpeace notes .

Despite the concerns about broken glass, the unity remains among the experts: Glass does not belong in nature. The President of the State Fire Brigade Association Brandenburg, Rolf Fünig, cannot trigger a fire in his own attempts, but considers the warnings of human misconduct to much more important. In this context, the question of cars with catalysts who can ignite grass under certain conditions also plays a role. For a fire, however, a direct touch with suitable fuel and high temperatures reports BR Next . In view of the global challenges, such as the drought in the Amazon area and the ongoing climate crisis, in which forest fires are often deliberately laid, it is all the more important to act carefully in this country. The interventions in nature often have far -reaching consequences that not only affect the fire of forests, but also endanger the entire ecosystem and the habitats of many species. The fires in the Amazon, which are mainly caused by human action, impressively demonstrate the urgency of the topic. Greenpeace draws attention to these relationships .

At the end of the day, one thing remains: When it comes to forest protection and care, we all have to have a good hand. And that starts with every single. Regardless of whether it is about avoiding garbage in the forest or the awareness of fire protection - it is up to us to protect nature and preserve for future generations.