The smell of forest fire hovers over Bautzen and Görlitz - no danger!

The smell of forest fire hovers over Bautzen and Görlitz - no danger!

Görlitz, Deutschland - In the vicinity of Bautzen and Görlitz, an unpleasant smell of fire has been perceptible since Thursday morning. The reason for this are forest fires in Gohrischheide, such as Media Service Sachsen . Several concerned calls were received, but luck in misfortune: there is no acute danger to life and life. In view of the increasingly intensive forest fires in many parts of the world, it becomes clear once again how much the climate and human activities strain nature.

The intensity and frequency of forest fires are not only locally, but on the rise worldwide. A look at the background shows that causes such as climate change, increasing heat, low humidity and persistently little precipitation contribute significantly to the risk of fire. In many national parks and forests, the condition is alarming, which is substantiated by tag24 . The role of people who often act unintentionally as a trigger is particularly critical - be it due to an carelessly deleted campfire or a thrown away cigarette.

forest fires and their consequences

The responsibility for many of these fires is deeply rooted in human action. Especially in tropical regions such as the Amazon rainforest, fire is often deliberately laid to create space for agricultural activities. According to a report by Greenpeace This serves the cultivation of soy for animal feed and the keeping of cattle. This has serious consequences: indigenous parts of the population lose their homeland, animals die and the environment is burdened by massive swaths of smoke. The situation has further exacerbated by the continued drought, reinforced by the global climate crisis and the weather phenomenon El Niño.

In 2023 alone, the number of forest fires in Brazil has reached the highest level of the past two decades, which underlines the urgent need for measures to combat the drought and fires. In the Pantanal, the largest inland moisture area in the world, the worst fire have been around since the start of the recordings.

further incidents in the region

While the risk of fire continues, there have also been further incidents in the region in the past few days. On July 2, 2025, a speed control was carried out on the B 156 in Lieske, in which 66 out of 254 measured vehicles were too fast. In another case, a heavy-heavy transport on the A 4 causes a stir, since a 41-year-old exceeded the maximum permitted height with his tractor-trailer.

In addition, a laser attack on a rescue helicopter in Demitz-Thumitz occurred. Fortunately, the helicopter was able to land safely, but investigations into air traffic was already underway. Also a misleading situation, where a doll was incorrectly considered a body, led to a police operation in a limestone break.