Fire risk in Brandenburg: Volunteers for forest protection urgently wanted!

Fire risk in Brandenburg: Volunteers for forest protection urgently wanted!

Potsdam-Mittelmark, Deutschland - When the temperatures rise, the concern for the forests also grows. The forest fire situation of Brandenburg is currently employed, as the forest fire protection officer Raimund Engel urgently emphasizes. With around 190 registered forest fires this season, which luckily only affected about 40 hectares of forest, the location remains comparatively stable, but the hot days are imminent. Angel sees an urgent need for more volunteers who are willing to actively contribute to fire fighting. In Brandenburg, there is therefore an active attempt to gain more citizens for volunteering in fire and disaster protection in order to better protect the forests and support the emergency services, reports the Borkener Zeitung.

Another important aspect in the discussion about forest fires is that forest fires are not only potentially dangerous, but also devastating for biodiversity. In Central Europe, which also includes Brandenburg, the ecosystem is not designed for fire. Numerous domestic plants and animals have not adapted to such conditions in long evolution. While in other regions of the world, such as in the Mediterranean or Australia, plants such as eucalyptus or cork oaks are optimized by special bark structures, it is much harder at home. The wilderness is destroyed by fires, habitats can become uninhabitable, and important soil layers and life forms in the forests are affected, which significantly impairs the natural landscapes of Brandenburg, as the wilderness foundation informs.

investments in fire protection

to combat the problem, Brandenburg relies on innovative technology. Unmanned land vehicles were purchased, which can drive and extinguish fires. Interior Minister René Wilke recently presented these heavy vehicles, which can be used in particularly stressed areas. These technical investments are exemplary for the high priority of fire protection in Brandenburg. This should not only improve the protection of the forests, but also set new standards nationwide. The vehicles cost over one million euros and are part of a comprehensive approach to fire prevention.

The strategy that relies on technological progress is also found in Austria. An average growth of over 200 forest fires is recorded every year. Climate change contributes to the increasing danger, and about 80 percent of the forest fires are triggered by human activities. Against this background, the Austrian Minister Norbert Tettschnig launched a forest fire prevention campaign program that includes solutions and strategies for reducing the risk of fire. This program not only includes financial funds of 9.8 million euros, but also the development of a digital forest fire registration system as well as preventive measures and research activities for risk assessment, as reported by the Fireworld website.

The solution of these challenges depends not only on techniques and financial means, but also on the commitment of each individual. Forest fire ranks are too serious to ignore them. An attention -strong reference to everyone: Anyone who is traveling in the forests should adhere to some fundamental rules of conduct that help to avoid fires. This includes, among other things, the ban on open firing in the forest or the careful handling of customs firing.

The symptoms are clear: the forests are in danger and it is up to us to become active. It is all the more important that more citizens voluntarily get involved in fire protection in the forest. Because when summer comes and the hot days begin, we must not take any risk. Let us be careful together to protect our forests and our nature!