Feuerinferno in Gohrischheide: evacuations and disaster alarm!

Feuerinferno in Gohrischheide: evacuations and disaster alarm!

The forest fire in the Gohrischheide, in the district of Meißen, has been holding the fire brigade and residents in suspense since Tuesday afternoon. A real fight against the flames is currently being conducted by> 700 emergency services, including members of the fire brigade and the technical relief organization (THW). According to MDR , the deletion work fails through old ammunition in the soil and difficult weather conditions, which are particularly strengthened by wind. The foci are located near Jacobsthal, Neudorf, Heidehäuser, Lichtenensee and Nieska.

with a brandy that was visible up to 30 kilometers from far, the danger in the region turns out to be great. The smell of fire is even perceived in Dresden. Disaster alarm was even triggered for the municipalities Zeithain, Wülknitz and the city of Gröditz. Hundreds of residents had to be evacuated as a preventive measure, whereby the evacuation of Neudorf according to Tag24 went smoothly.

evacuations and fears of residents

In Neudorf, 269 people were asked to leave their houses. The resident Alexander Rosental packed important objects and brought himself to safety. Other residents also report that they have prepared for the worst and that they have broken up with personal documents and belongings. A change in the weather with rain in the morning caused a sigh of relief.

The use runs out of force, since the fire brigade and the THW fight the flames with several helicopters and special water cannons. Delete water is made from nearby gravel pits and cisterns. Nevertheless, due to the risk of detonation, the emergency services must keep a distance of 1,000 meters from the flocks of fire. Thus, the direct combating of the fire is extremely complex.

climate change and the risk of forest fire

A problem that is also significant in this case are the conditions favored by climate change, which have led to an increase in forest fires worldwide in recent years. According to the latest figures, over 1,200 hectares of forest area were destroyed in Germany alone in 2023, a value that is only the tip of the iceberg. Statista reports that there were also the highest destruction in southern European countries, the USA and the Amazon area.

The risk of fire in Saxony is somewhat reduced by the weather conditions, but the historical ammunition remains in the forest area make the extinguishing work a challenging matter. A citizen phone was set up to inform the residents about the state of affairs. Before it goes back to normality, the emergency services are required to take all measures to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to inhabited areas.