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Disaster alert! Forest fire threatens communities on the Saxony-Brandenburg border
Forest fire in Gohrischheide: evacuations, over 500 emergency services fighting the flames. Situation remains critical.
Disaster alert! Forest fire threatens communities on the Saxony-Brandenburg border
The situation in Gohrischheide on the border between Saxony and Brandenburg is becoming dramatically worse. The forest fire there has now triggered the disaster alarm for the communities of Zeithain, Wülknitz and the city of Gröditz. The flames have covered an area of up to 1,000 hectares, the equivalent of about 1,400 football fields, and firefighters have so far been unable to bring the fire under control GA.de reported.
The number of emergency services has currently increased to over 500. Particularly dramatic was the evacuation of 269 residents in Neudorf, who were allowed to return in the afternoon, as well as 100 people in Wülknitz, including 45 from a home for the severely disabled. These people are accommodated in a multi-purpose hall in Röderau and in local hospitals. Many firefighters and farmers have been fighting the fire tirelessly since last night.
Approach and challenges
The situation remains confusing as the fire department faces various challenges. The fire is spreading quickly and has already reached the tree line in Nieska, forcing emergency services to take measures to prevent it from spreading to houses. Loud MDR The situation has “escalated”, and a spokesman for the Meißen district emphasizes the dynamic development of the operations.
In addition, the region is contaminated with ammunition, which makes extinguishing work even more difficult. Fire departments and police use helicopters to explore embers. The smoke from the fire has now reached cities up to 60 kilometers away such as Dresden and is causing odor nuisance there. An evacuation warning was issued for Lichtensee in the morning, which was lifted shortly afterwards due to a favorable change in wind.
Loss of land and global trends
Unfortunately, forest fires like those in Gohrischheide are not isolated cases. Climate change and increasing dry periods are encouraging such disasters Statista determines. Germany has also experienced an increase in forest fire areas in recent years, with over 1,200 hectares destroyed in 2023 alone. A comparison shows that 2022 saw the highest loss in the last 30 years at over 3,000 hectares.
The most common causes of forest fires are arson and negligence, with around half of fires having unknown causes. Numerous fires have already been registered in the first half of 2023, which also cause significant financial damage and have negative impacts on the environment and health. These catastrophic events highlight the urgency of taking action to combat climate change and deal with such threats.
The fight against the flames in Gohrischheide will continue as emergency services continue to work on the front line to protect people and nature. The focus now is on regaining control of the fire and minimizing the risk to affected communities.