Forest fire risk decreases: Gohrischheide remains closed until August!

Forest fire risk decreases: Gohrischheide remains closed until August!

There has been a fire alarm in Gohrischheide near Riesa for the past few days. But now relief is finally in sight: After persistent rain over the weekend, the fire department gave the green light to the forest fire situation. The forest fire risk in the north of the Meißen district will be downgraded to the lowest warning level on Monday Sächsische.de reported.

Nevertheless, the Gohrischheide remains closed to the public for the time being. This closure was put into effect by a general order from the district office at the weekend and will initially apply until August 12th. The reason for this measure is the increased risk of new infections in the affected areas, which is increased by falling dead wood and falling trees. However, individual exceptions apply to forest owners, forestry and hunting staff, and representatives of authorities. Violations can result in penalties of up to 2,500 euros and, in the worst case, even up to 10,000 euros.

Development in the event of a disaster

The fire broke out in Gohrischheide on Thursday of the previous week and since then over 370 emergency services from the fire department, police and other organizations have been working tirelessly. The disaster alert in the Meißen district was lifted at 3 p.m., which brought relief to District Administrator Ralf Hänsel. The Nina warning app also gave the all-clear for the communities of Zeithain, Wülknitz and Gröditz. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but three firefighters were injured.

The area affected by the forest fire covers around 2,400 hectares. Around 86 percent of the vegetation in the nature reserve was burned. Experts from the Saxon State Environment Agency and Agriculture Minister Georg-Ludwig von Breitenbuch (CDU) visited the fire area to assess the effects of the forest fire and discuss the future of the munitions-contaminated forest area. In recent years, forest fires have also become more important in Germany Statista highlights. They have become feared events, particularly due to climate change.

Background to the risk of forest fires

The increasing dry and hot periods mean that forest fires are becoming more and more common in Germany. In 2023, over 1,200 hectares of land were destroyed by fires in Germany, while 2022 set a sad record with over 3,000 hectares. Loud MDR The most common causes of forest fires are arson and negligence. Nevertheless, there were only 27 fires from natural causes in 2023.

The fire brigade has now started clean-up work and has rerouted the kilometers of hose lines. Until the Gohrischheide is open to the public again, visitors must continue to observe the controls and the applicable regulations. Until then, it's time to keep your eyes open and appreciate nature - the weather and weather conditions play a crucial role here, as recent events impressively underline.