Disaster alarm! Forest fire threatens communities on the Saxony-Brandenburg border
Disaster alarm! Forest fire threatens communities on the Saxony-Brandenburg border
Gohrischheide, Sachsen, Deutschland - The location in the Gohrischheide on the border between Saxony and Brandenburg is dramatically pushing. The forest fire there has now triggered the disaster alarm for the municipalities Zeithain, Wülknitz and the city of Val Gardena. The flames have recorded an area of up to 1,000 hectares, which corresponds to about 1,400 soccer fields, and the fire brigade has so far not been able to control the fire, such as reported.
The emergency services are currently increased to over 500. The evacuation of 269 residents in Neudorf, who were allowed to return in the afternoon, is particularly dramatic, as well as 100 people in Wülknitz, including 45 from a home for severely disabled people. These people are housed in a multi -purpose hall in Röderau and in local hospitals. Many firefighters and farmers have been fighting tirelessly against fire since the night.
approach and challenges
The situation remains confusing because the fire brigade faces various challenges. The fire spreads out quickly and has already reached the forest border in Nieska, which forces the emergency services to take measures to prevent spreading to houses. According to mdr , the situation is "escalated", and a spokesman for the district of Meißen emphasizes the dynamic development of the Operations.
In addition, the region is ammunition, which also makes the extinguishing work more difficult. The fire brigade and police use helicopters to explore embers. The smoke of the fire has now reached cities up to 60 kilometers away such as Dresden and provides odor nuisance there. In the morning, an evacuation warning was issued for Lichtenensee, which could be lifted shortly afterwards due to a cheap wind change.
Loss of space and global trends
forest fires like in the Gohrischheide are unfortunately not isolated cases. Climate change and increasing dry periods favor such disasters, such as Statista . Germany has also experienced an increase in forest fire areas in recent years, and over 1,200 hectares were destroyed in 2023 alone. A comparison shows that in 2022 with over 3,000 hectares the highest loss has been recorded in the past 30 years.
The most common causes of forest fires are arson and negligence, with around half of the fires unknown. In the first half of 2023, numerous fires were already registered, which also cause considerable financial damage and have negative effects on the environment and health. These catastrophic events illustrate urgency to take measures against climate change and for dealing with such dangers.
The fight against the flames in the Gohrischheide will stop while the emergency services continue to work on the first front to protect people and nature. The focus is now on regaining control over the herd of fire and minimizing the risk of the affected communities.
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| Ort | Gohrischheide, Sachsen, Deutschland |
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