Waldbrand in the Harz: Fire brigade fights against the flames near Goslar

Waldbrand in the Harz: Fire brigade fights against the flames near Goslar

Goslar, Deutschland - The weather calmed down in the Harz near Goslar, but the reversal work after the forest fire that broke out on Sunday evening are still in full swing. The fire brigade has been under control since noon on June 24, 2025, but the emergency services are faced with the challenge of thoroughly deleting the embers. The operation is expected to take until the weekend, since the flames have already settled in the ground and are no longer visible, reports Stern.de .

More than 320 firefighters have so far been deployed, supported by extinguishing helicopters and special tree felling machines. Despite the positive development in the weather conditions and a humidity of over 50 percent, the work is made more difficult by continuing strong winds. These conditions have already contributed to the rapid spread of the fire in the past, which currently includes an area of ​​around seven hectares - this corresponds to about ten soccer fields.

situation on site

While the weather is improving, no injuries or threats are currently known for the residents. The Granetal lock, which is located near the fire area, was never endangered. Nevertheless, the authorities call up the public to avoid the affected forest area in a large scale. A warning message from the "Nina" app warns before entering the forest areas of Königsberg, Nordberg and Steinberg.

The enormous extinguishing measures are not only made possible by the appropriate devices, but also by numerous emergency services, which have set up a mountain hut nearby as a supply station. However, onlookers hindered the fire service by blocking paths and following the emergency vehicles into the forest. Such behavior can be dangerous in an emergency and should be avoided.

background of the forest fires

The increase in forest fires is a truly pressing problem that is favored by climate change. According to Statista , the damage caused by fires and internationally, especially in recent years. In 2023, for example, over 1,200 hectares were destroyed by forest fires in Germany. In the 30 years before, however, there was never such an increase in the affected area as we recorded it in 2022 with more than 3,000 hectares.

The most common causes of forest fires are in arson and negligence, with around half of the fires unknown. In Germany, only 27 fires came about in 2023 through natural causes, which shows how important preventive measures and conscious behavior of the public are.