Use against the flames: THW and fire brigade fight in Saxony and Thuringia!

Use against the flames: THW and fire brigade fight in Saxony and Thuringia!

In Saxony and Thuringia, numerous emergency services are currently fighting against two massive forest fires, which have expanded into a serious location since the beginning of July. The Technical Relief Agency (THW) has been active since July 2, 2025 to support the fire brigade in the extensive extinguishing work. The location is particularly on the brink in Gohrischheide and Gösselsdorf. A major fire in Gohrischheide, which broke out on July 1, has already devastated significant areas, while the fire in Gösselsdorf/Göltzsch, which has been raging since July 2, has affected at least 250 hectares. CityReport reports of over 100 volunteers from various THW local associations that are in use to stop the waving flames.

The coordinated collaboration between the fire brigade and THW is essential. Over 400 emergency services are active in order to master the risk of fire, while the situation is stable but tense. Again and again experts warn that the foci of fire is close to ammunition loads, which also makes it difficult to extinguish the extinguishing work. This acute fire is the largest that Thuringia has experienced in 30 years. Tagesschau also reports of evacuations in the area, including in Jacobsthal train station, where 45 people had to leave their apartments to get to safety.

challenges of forest fire fighting

The fire fighting is extremely challenging in the affected regions. The extinguishing measures are particularly difficult in the steep slopes, and the fire brigade has not given any reason for the all -clear despite its efforts. Exposure helicopters from the federal police and armored fire engines are currently in use to combat the flames. The THW focuses primarily on logistics, water supply and lighting to support the work of the fire brigade. Janine Stock, THW state representative for Saxony and Thuringia, emphasizes the importance of water for vegetation fire fighting and emphasizes that a total of 34 THW local associations are available in order to further expand technical support. [Cityreport] (https://cityreport.pnr24-online.de/thw-sachsen-thueringen-im-waldbrande-

The causes of the intensity of the current forest fires are diverse, experts note. Climate change has significantly tightened the conditions for forest fires in Germany. Current risk investigations forecast an increase in the risk of forest fire in the coming decades. Forstwirtschaft-in-Deutschland shows that not only the temperatures increase, but also the precipitation in the spring and summer months are declining. The situation has already changed drastically in recent years: In 2018, the most forest fires have been in Germany for 15 years, which has already resulted in great damage.

outlook and support

So far, the emergency services are optimistic that the cooler night could help without further dynamics in the fire to stabilize the situation at least at short notice. However, efforts to combat the fires are likely to continue until the beginning of next week. Support comes not only from the state institutions, but also through civil society commitment - farmers provide extinguishing water. The fire brigade has the location under control, but ultimately everything is a question of the wind direction. So let's be excited to see how the situation develops.