Forest fire in Thale: 150 firefighters fight the flames

Forest fire in Thale: 150 firefighters fight the flames

The weather is currently showing its extreme side across the entire region. Today, July 2, 2025, various media outlets are reporting on the burning challenges brought about by the heat wave. A threatening forest fire broke out in the Harz Mountains, but it has now been brought under control. Loud Time Firefighters largely extinguished the fire around 9 p.m., but extinguishing work on an area of ​​around 600 square meters continued into the night.

The flames covered an area of ​​approximately 2,000 square meters. Around 150 emergency services from Thale and the surrounding area fought against the flames, which were particularly dangerous in the difficult-to-access area on the Tannenkopf. They supported the firefighting efforts with the help of drones and a fire-fighting aircraft from the Harz Mountains. This is not an isolated case, as the German Weather Service (DWD) is currently warning of a high risk of forest fires in many parts of the country, which is also reflected in the second highest forest fire danger level (level 4) in Saxony-Anhalt and the Harz National Park.

Forest fire dangers: A look at the nationwide values

The situation is not only worrying in the Harz Mountains. The current forest fire danger index shows acute risks for numerous federal states. In Saxony-Anhalt, where the fire has already occurred, the situation looks critical. The Wittenberg district even has the highest danger level. In North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, the index is at level 4, especially in the Rahden-Kleinendorf region, which is also cause for concern. These values ​​come from the results of the forest fire danger index, which is regularly updated to warn the population in good time. For detailed information about the different federal states you can go to weatherhazards.de read up.

With temperatures of up to 37.6 degrees in Düsseldorf, we are currently experiencing a severe heat wave that not only endangers the vegetation, but also poses immense challenges for the fire brigade. In these extreme conditions, the fire brigade in Greece is also fighting forest fires on an island, compounding the tragic effects of the heat wave.

Public safety and mobility

The situation also has an impact on mobility: for the safety of passengers and employees, the Harz narrow-gauge railway uses diesel trains in sections where steam trains cannot run due to the high risk of fire. People in the region should still be careful and listen to warnings, such as those about heavy smoke via the Nina warning app.

Emotions are tense because with these high temperatures and the acute risk of forest fires, something is really happening. Cohesion and a sense of responsibility are now required to protect nature and ourselves. So far, the firefighters deployed have shown good skills in dealing with the flames, and we hope that the situation can be defused quickly.