Waldbrand in Dessau-Roßlau: 280 firefighters fight the flames!

Waldbrand in Dessau-Roßlau: 280 firefighters fight the flames!

Dessau-Roßlau, Deutschland - A violent forest fire is currently causing great excitement in Dessau-Roßlau. Around 280 fire brigade forces are in action, supported by numerous aid organizations, including the police, emergency services and the technical relief organization. A police helicopter was also used to monitor the situation out of the air. The expected area affected by the flames amounts to about 240 hectares, of which 78 hectares are forest areas. The remaining fire areas are used for agriculture. The authorities also had to evacuate a dog pension and a horse farm for security reasons.

such as the mdr , some objects, including an old silo and an nursing home, were significantly damaged. So far, the exact origin of the fire is unclear. These devastating incidents are part of a worrying trend: forest fires in Germany are increasing, not least because of dryness and heat that are reinforced by climate change.

forest fire in Germany

The situation in Dessau-Roßlau is not an isolated case. Germany has suffered several times from devastating forest fires in recent years. In 2023, over 1,200 hectares of forest were affected by fires, which represents an improvement compared to the over 3,000 hectares of 2022, the highest value in the past 30 years. Despite this decline, the forest fires are still an enormous danger to habitats and the natural environment.

How the data of the Environmental Federal Agency has dropped to 1,059 in 2023, which is half compared to the previous year. The affected area was 1,240 hectares above the long -term average. Most of the fires occurred in Brandenburg and Lower Saxony, although many causes remained unclear.

causes and effects of forest fires

Statistics shows that arson and negligence are the most common causes of forest fires. Around 51 % of the fires could not be assigned to any specific cause. In about 27 cases, nature, for example due to lightning strikes, was the trigger of the fires. Forest fires not only mean loss of space, but also a lot of financial damage and negative effects on the environment through the release of fine dust and greenhouse gases.

The Statista- area point out that particularly warm and dry periods such as those that are currently in German forests, increase the likelihood of fires. This makes preventive measures all the more important. In this way, mixed forests are considered more advantageous to counteract the risk of forest fire.

The risks of forest fires remain real, and with the progressive climate change, further increases in the risk of fire in the coming years. A quick and effective action is necessary to support the fire brigades in your missions and to protect nature at the same time.