Forest fire in Gohrischheide: smoke nuisance reaches Elbe-Elster!

Forest fire in Gohrischheide: smoke nuisance reaches Elbe-Elster!

In recent days, a massive forest fire in Gohrischheide, on the state border between Saxony and Brandenburg, has caused excitement and concern. The fire, which originated at a former military training area near Zeithain in the Meißen district, has been spreading considerably since Tuesday afternoon. The area of ​​operation now extends to the south of Brandenburg and covers an area of ​​around 100 hectares. According to the Lausitz regional control center, there is no direct threat to the population. Nevertheless, there is a warning about increased smoke and odor nuisance in Mühlberg/Elbe and the surrounding districts, including Fichtenberg, Altenau, Weinberge, Burxdorf and Neuburxdorf. Residents are asked to keep windows and doors closed and to turn off ventilation and air conditioning systems to avoid health risks. Niederlausitz Aktuell reports that the railway line between Riesa and Falkenberg has been closed as a precaution and the streets near the fire zone must be kept clear for the emergency services.

The extinguishing work is extremely challenging, especially because of the old ammunition hidden in the ground. Despite these difficulties, the fire brigade from the Meißen district and the Elbe-Elster district are committed to their work. A staging area for emergency services is being set up in Fichtelberg, while paths have been cut and water barriers have been set up using circular sprinklers to contain the fire. It can be said that the firefighters have to show a good hand in order to quickly bring the situation under control. A remarkable sight: the column of smoke was visible from Meißen around 25 kilometers away.

Intensive firefighting work in several regions

This problem with forest fires is not only limited to the Gohrischheide. Firefighters are also active in other parts of Brandenburg. As the RBB reports, the Brandenburg firefighters are fighting several forest fires in different parts of the country. For example, a small stretcher fire on around 22 hectares is under control, but the fire brigade remains on duty. Another fire in the Frohnsdorf district of Potsdam-Mittelmark shows how serious the situation still is. The fire continued to smolder here on Wednesday. The Federal Police supported the fire-fighting work with 24 helicopter flights and dropped 43,200 liters of fire-fighting water.

The heat waves and the associated drought, which are increasingly caused by climate change, promote the development of forest fires, as Statista explains in an overview of forest fires and bushfires. Germany is now also affected here: in 2023, over 1,200 hectares of land in Germany were destroyed by fires. The increase in the area destroyed has been particularly strong in recent years, with over 3,000 hectares in 2022, which is the highest value in three decades. Is everything leading to these issues coming more and more into the spotlight?

Recent events are a clear reminder that forest fires caused by arson and negligence are common, especially in Brandenburg and Lower Saxony. Of the forest fires recorded in 2023, only 27 were caused by natural causes. The danger posed by fire remains an urgent problem not only for the fire service, but also for the affected population and the environment.