Forest fire in Gohrischheide: Fire brigade fights against blazing flames!

Forest fire in Gohrischheide: Fire brigade fights against blazing flames!

The Gohrischheide, a former military training area in the Meißen district, Saxony, has been burning continuously since Tuesday, July 1st. The fire brigade is faced with enormous challenges when extinguishing the fire, as the fire has spread rapidly and affected several hundred hectares in Brandenburg. Loud Berlin Live the munitions-laden environment poses a serious risk and makes fighting the fire extremely difficult.

There are currently around 555 emergency services from the fire brigade, the technical relief organization, the Bundeswehr and the police, who are dividing the situation into six different operational phases. These massive efforts are necessary because a strong wind blew on Wednesday afternoon, which further fanned the flames. The district administrator Ralf Hänsel spoke of a new tactic that envisages letting the fire burn down in a controlled manner in order to later specifically extinguish it, instead of risking a material battle-like fight against the fire.

Rumors about the weather and problems with extinguishing work

The emergency services are at war with the weather. The hoped-for rain failed to materialize on Monday night, which dampened hopes of rapid progress. Meteorologists are also warning of approaching thunderstorms that could bring squalls - another potential risk of the fire spreading. Despite the depressing circumstances and 2,100 hectares that have already burned - which roughly corresponds to the urban area of ​​Berlin-Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg - Monday night showed little significant change in the fire situation, reports MDR News.

On Sunday, several helicopters were even in use, including firefighting helicopters from the Bundeswehr and the Federal Police, to support the fire department. All of this happens while around 700 emergency services work in shifts every day. The burdens are enormous; a firefighter had to receive medical treatment due to circulatory problems.

Criticism and concerned voices on the topic of forest fire risk

The Free Voters in Saxony are concerned about the current circumstances and recall the cuts in the state budget that affect the fire department. Matthias Binner, deputy state chairman, said that such cuts endanger public safety in the long term. However, given that 1,059 forest fires have already been registered in Germany in 2023 - a decrease of half compared to 2022 - the risk of forest fires in the region remains a pressing issue. According to that Federal Environment Agency Forest fires occur differently across regions, with Brandenburg being particularly affected.

The current situation not only illustrates the clear dangers posed by forest fires, but also the associated ecological and health challenges. It is strongly recommended to promote the conversion of conifer monocultures to mixed forests with a high proportion of hardwood to counteract future fires. It remains to be seen whether the emergency services in Gohrischheide will soon be able to announce positive news as they continue to tirelessly do their best to bring the fire under control.