Waldbrand in Gohrischheide: Fire brigade fights against explosive danger!

Waldbrand in Gohrischheide: Fire brigade fights against explosive danger!

This day, July 1, 2025, report the news of a forest fire in the Gohrischheide in the Meißen district. The fire broke out in the early afternoon near a Sprenglatz of the ordnance disposal service. The fire brigade is in large operations, but the extinguishing work is extremely challenging because there is a risk of ammunition in the area. A large cloud of smoke moves across the area between Zeithain and Mühlberg on the Elbe and repeatedly detonations from the area can be heard. The emergency services expect that combating the fire will last longer than originally thought, which makes the situation even more complicated, since additional security measures are required.

The problem of old ammunition and forest fires is not only locally, but also has nationwide dimensions. In Brandenburg, where the Gohrischheide is located, around 575,000 hectares of the country area are classified as suspicious of orders. Around 300,000 hectares of these areas are frightened in the forest, which makes up a third of the entire forest area in the state. Older ammunition has already led to considerable forest fire areas in the past, and since 2002 the ten largest forest fires have only appeared on ammunition -contaminated areas. In 2019, these were even 851 hectares, which made 63 % of the fire areas this year, according to Erwin's experience, which analyzes the dangers of old ammunition and develops recommendations for action.

special challenges for the fire brigade

Deleting fires in ammunition -loaded areas requires specific measures. Emergency services must keep a minimum distance of 500 meters to protect themselves and their equipment. The fire fighting is made more difficult by the fact that old ammunition can explode unplanned by heat or mechanical influence. This presents not only the fire brigade, but also the population with great challenges and risks.

• Since 1991, the Brandenburg ordnance service has made it harmless over 14,500 tons of ordnance.
• The country provides up to 5 million euros annually for the work of the service.
• The Erwin project receives funding from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture as well as for the environment, nature conservation and consumer protection.

The growing number of forest fires has led to the protection of the forest considered an important concern. The forest fulfills numerous functions, including user and recreational functions, which are becoming more important in densely populated areas. In order to reduce forest fires in the future, it is crucial to take suitable measures for prevention and better fire fighting. Regular maintenance work and the reducing with resistant tree species are some of the recommended steps to reduce the dangers.

The current events in the Gohrischheide are an urgent indication of the persistent danger that is based on old ammunition, and the need to develop suitable strategies for fighting forest fire. The situation is still observed carefully to ensure the security of the residents and the emergency services.

You can read more information on this topic on the following pages: stern.de , forest.fnr.de and ble.de .