Forest fires in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains: Fire brigade fights against flames!

Forest fires in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains: Fire brigade fights against flames!

On Monday there were several forest fires in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains along the German-Czech border, which provided great concern. The biggest fire ignited near Jetřichovice (Dittersbach) in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park and was visible to Hinterhermsdorf. The smoky clouds and the flames made the residents and visitors take notice. According to the Sächsischen.de stretched the affected area at the summit Koliště (golden) estimated to 1 to 1.5 hectares.

The fire brigade was quickly on hand and received support from a drone with a thermal imaging camera, which helped to better overlook the situation. In the evening of the same day, the emergency services managed to control the fire, but the exact cause was still unclear at the time. There is suspicion of human fault, possibly by weekend visitors.

Fast reaction prevents worse

parallel to the events in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, a smaller fire was discovered on the Děčínský Sněžník (high Schneeberg) and quickly deleted. A similar incident occurred at Dolní Žleb. On the German side there was also another fire in the Glasergrund, a side valley of the Biela Valley, which was noticed by foresters during control courses for bark beetle search. Firefighters from Rosenthal, Bielatal and Königstein were quickly on site to prevent worse things.

Thanks to the quick action of the emergency services, a potential disaster could be averted. Nevertheless, there is a risk of why the National Park and Forest Administration Saxon Switzerland appeals to visitors to conscientiously observe the fire and smoking ban. Camping with a stove in the forest is also strictly forbidden, and intensive controls are carried out by forester and rangers. Visitors are also informed not to park the forest entrances so that access to the fire brigade is preserved.

background and preventive measures

The risk of forest fire has increased in recent years due to climate change and the associated dry and heat periods. The dynamic spread of the flames can not only damage living things, but also habitats. In 2023, over 1,200 hectares were destroyed by forest fires in Germany, while the previous high in 2022 was over 3,000 hectares. The most common causes of these fires are arson and negligence, with around half of the fires of unknown origin, as the data of Statista

Restoration requires patience and commitment. A year after the most devastating forest fire in the history of the Czech Republic, preventive measures are under discussion. Environment Minister Petr Hladík recently visited the affected area and announced that it would hire three new employees to support the national park administration. Water containers for extinguishing water were also set up in difficult areas. The danger situation should be counteracted effectively in order to prevent future fires as well as possible, reports radio.cz .