Forest fire near Flatow: Fire brigade stops flames, police investigate!

Forest fire near Flatow: Fire brigade stops flames, police investigate!

Last night there was a forest fire in a forest near Alte Poststrasse near Flatow in Oberhavel, which was reported around 7:30 p.m. Heavy smoke was already visible when the emergency services arrived, and around 100 square meters of forest floor were in flames. Around 40 emergency services from the Kremmen volunteer fire department were deployed to stabilize the situation. Using three D-pipes, they were able to quickly bring the flames under control and prevent them from spreading. In addition to water, specialized forest fire tools and fire spatulas were used to locate embers in the ground and finally extinguish the fire. In order to avoid a recurrence, the ground was even systematically dug up. The fire brigade was faced with the challenge that the site was far from the regular water supply. A shuttle service with tank fire engines was set up to provide sufficient water. The police have now started an investigation into the cause of the fire and suspect negligent arson.

As the maz-online.de reports, forest fires are a recurring problem that occurs not only in Germany but also abroad. For example, on June 21, 2025, there were several wildfires on the Croatian Adriatic coast, forcing hundreds of people, including tourists, to evacuate. The largest fire that broke out between Omis and Makarska has now been brought under control after several houses and cars went up in flames. A particular risk was the strong wind, which encouraged the spread of fires in the dry pine forests. The police are also investigating suspected arson here, as the fire broke out in several places at the same time.

Forest fires in Germany

The situation in Germany is no less serious. According to that Federal Environment Agency There were a total of 1,059 forest fires in 2023, which represents a decrease of half compared to 2022, but also means that the affected area of ​​1,240 hectares is above the long-term average. The problem is particularly evident in regions such as Brandenburg, where 251 fires were registered. The largest fire area here was 765.2 hectares, which accounts for more than half of the total forest fire area in Germany. It is evident that human activity, not untypical negligence on the part of forest visitors, is often the cause of these fires, accounting for about 40% of cases.

Experts expect the risk of forest fires to increase in the future. Higher temperatures and less precipitation mean that younger and sparse coniferous forests are considered particularly at risk. In addition, risk studies predict an extension of the forest fire season into late summer and autumn. In order to counteract this development, it is recommended to replace conifer monocultures with mixed forests that have a higher proportion of hardwood. While these fires sometimes have devastating effects on nature, they could also create niches for positive biodiversity if controlled and managed correctly.