Forest fire in Gohrischheide: Hundreds of people are fighting the flames!

Forest fire in Gohrischheide: Hundreds of people are fighting the flames!

A violent forest fire has been raging in the Gohrischheide in the Meißen district since Tuesday, which has now affected an area of ​​an estimated 2,100 hectares. The situation is made considerably more difficult by the old ammunition residues in the ground, which makes extinguishing work a real challenge for the approximately 600 emergency services from the fire department, federal police, Bundeswehr and technical relief organization, as MDR reports.

The extremely dangerous temperatures and strong winds are contributing to the escalation of the situation. Several towns, including Jacobsthal and the Heidehäuser, are acutely threatened. Evacuations have already had to take place to ensure the safety of the population. Around 100 people from Heidehäuser were brought to safety on Wednesday and 45 residents from Jacobsthal on Friday evening. The operations management in Meißen has maintained the evacuations to ensure the safety of the emergency services and residents, confirms Ingenieur.de.

Emergency forces in constant use

The large number of emergency services are constantly fighting five identified sources of fire. While the fire brigade and the THW are receiving support through the use of fire-fighting robots in Heidehäuser, the federal police are providing additional fire-fighting measures with fire-fighting helicopters and water cannons. In total, the federal police have already delivered around 180,000 liters of fire-fighting water in 100 approaches. In a remarkable operation, the Bundeswehr is supporting with clearing tanks to build protective hills and contain the fire, according to MDR.

Drones are also used to monitor fires from the air. Despite the constant efforts, the emergency services remain in alarming proximity, as the risk of detonation due to the remains of ammunition requires a safety distance of at least 1,000 meters from the sources of the fire.

Weather and other threats

The weather situation is difficult: the fire departments are faced with high temperatures, strong winds and poor visibility due to smoke. These conditions could worsen further with impending thunderstorms. The outlook for the weather forecast is tense; Rain was forecast for next Monday, but could bring new risks from wind gusts, as Ingenieur.de notes.

Climate change is a long-term factor driving these wildfires. Germany has already been affected by numerous forest fires in 2023, with over 1,200 hectares burned. The Gohrischheide, a former military training area, is particularly at risk due to its military legacy and its landscape conditions. The region is also prone to the highest forest fire danger levels, which has a strong impact on extinguishing work, as Statista also notes.

The long extinguishing work could last until the beginning of next week, according to District Administrator Ralf Hänsel. The response team must also ensure that water supplies are maintained for firefighting, although reports of deep wells being depleted are increasing.

This dramatic situation once again shows the overall problem of forest fires in Germany and the challenges that nature poses to the emergency services, while the country is heading towards a worrying future in terms of climate change.