Waldbrand in Gohrischheide: Evacuations and large -scale use of the fire brigade!

Waldbrand in Gohrischheide: Evacuations and large -scale use of the fire brigade!

in the Gohrischheide, a forest area on the border between Saxony and Brandenburg, rages a heavy forest fire that is still not under control. According to Zeit.de , the emergency services have increased the number to 480 to fight the flames, which mainly spread north. The situation in the Nieska district is particularly critical, where the fire brigade is tireless.

The situation has worsened dramatically; The fire has now expanded to at least 600 hectares. The emergency services have to extinguish more than 200 hectares of forest area, with two districts, Heidehäuser and Lichtenensee, had to be evacuated. This evacuation began on Wednesday evening and affects around 100 people, including 45 residents of a home for severely disabled people, such as t-online.de reported.

combat use against the flames

The fire brigade has lived through difficult times because the conditions are anything but ideal. Dry vegetation and light wind promote the spread of the fire. A warning about the Nina app was issued so that the residents of Lichtenensee immediately leave the buildings. Fortunately, the evacuation in Lichtenensee could be averted due to a wind rotation, but the location remains tense.

To master the situation, the use of extinguishing helicopters is checked. However, this takes place, taking into account the dangerous conditions in the fire area, since there may be ammunition that could be dangerous by the nearby Sprengplatz of the ordnance disposal service.

injured emergency services and environmental consequences

The effects of such forest fires can not only be felt locally, but also globally. As in a publication of the Austrian Academy of Sciences , large forest fires change the surface alcohol and released numerous greenhouse gases. These gases, especially carbon dioxide and aerosols, influence the atmospheric chemistry and can even penetrate into the stratosphere. This has an impact that go far beyond the immediate region. In addition, the frequency of such fires could increase due to climate change, which makes the topic all the more relevant.

in Gohrischheide, the incident is not the first of its kind, since there have been several fires in the past, but the region has recently been faced with the largest forest fire in Saxony in June 2022.

The situation remains tense and the fire brigade and emergency services work around the clock to tame the fire and ensure the safety of the residents. In such moments it shows how important a quick intervention is to minimize damage.