The risk of forest fire in the resin: alarm level red and first bans!

The risk of forest fire in the resin: alarm level red and first bans!

Ilsenburg, Deutschland - The risk of forest fire in Saxony-Anhalt is currently alarming. There were 100 forest and vegetation fires in the Harz district alone last year, with 39 of which were forest fires. The increasing drought is cited as the main cause of this development, which affects not only forest owners, but also the entire region. Cornelius Meyer-Stork, a forest owner from Ilsenburg, has recognized this problem and uses an old fire engine to irrigate his forest and transport tools. He has managed around 260 hectares of forest since 2002 and actively fights the fire.

But spruce and pine are not the only ones who suffer from the drought. In the district of Wittenberg, the highest forest fire theater level 5 already applies, which is the first proclamation of this level in the current summer season. Walkers are no longer allowed to leave the main paths here, and there is a smoking ban that came into force from level 2. These regulations primarily concern tourist landscapes such as the Dübener Heide and the Annaburger Heide and are also anchored in the State Forest Act.

preventive measures against forest fires

In order to counteract the impending danger, the Harz National Park relies on technical innovations. A drone system with smoke detectors is tested here to recognize forest fires early. In addition, according to district fire chief Kai-Uwe Lohse, the expansion of wide forest paths for fire trucks is necessary in order to be able to react quickly in an emergency. A fire-fighting aircraft, the "Hexe 1", supports the fire brigades on site and Lohse calls for a constant extinguishing aircraft relay for all of Saxony-Anhalt in order to be able to act nationwide.

Another problem is the availability of extinguishing water. In the Harz, extinguishing water containers have already been set up at various locations in order to be available to the emergency services as soon as possible. Touchpoints are crucial here, because 94 % of the forest fires since 2022 have broken out near the Harz narrow -gauge railway. This railway has established security devices to prevent sparking flights, and only runs with diesel at forest fire level 4.

man as the cause of the fire and the influence of climate change

It is particularly worrying that many forest fires are man -made. Meyer-Stork demands more awareness of the population to raise awareness of this point. At the same time, the region is also fighting with the effects of climate change. Forecasts show an increasing number of weather extremes, including heavy rain and heat waves, which further increase the risk of forest fires. The world climate points out that if the climate change is unimpeded, heating of up to 5.4 ° C to 2100 threatens, which could still exacerbate the situation.

The forest fire situation remains tense and requires quick action. The population is asked to adhere to the applicable rules and to protect nature in the best possible way in order to be able to maintain the beauty of the domestic forests.