Waldbrand chaos in Gohrischheide: emergency services in constant alert!

Waldbrand chaos in Gohrischheide: emergency services in constant alert!

Gohrischheide, Sachsen, Deutschland - in Saxony there is currently a devastating forest fire in the Gohrischheide, which keeps residents, emergency services and authorities on a constant alert. According to a report by LR Online , which was still not extinguished on July 1, 2025. The extinguishing work is made significantly more difficult by the possibly existing old ammunition on the site, a former military training area.

The situation is tense: more than 550 fire brigade, THW, Bundeswehr and the police are in action in the fight against the flames. On July 6, four fire-fighting helicopters were mobilized by the Bundeswehr, the federal police and state police, and helicopters from Saxony-Anhalt also support and a fire-fighting robot from Brandenburg. The affected area is around 2,100 hectares of forest - a huge extent that provides governments and environmental organizations alike.

Current situation and operational tactics

like MDR has changed in the Jacobsthal region. Here you try to introduce the fire to defined limits to reduce the food source for the flames. So far, the residential development in Jacobsthal has been secured, and the situation remains calm in the village of Heidehäuser. The emergency services focus on fire fighting on state road 89 in Nieska, where marginal strips are heavily irrigated.

The application situation remains dynamic: Festoms of fire on both sides of the railway line could combine, which requires additional precautions. A water cannon is also in use until 10 p.m. to fight the flames. Another important point is the recovery of the Gohrischheide after the major fires of the past few years, which according to Olaf Kaube, a certified nature and landscape leader, now shows side effects. The charred mass offers nutrients for the soil, which favors fast regeneration.

A look at the effects

The emotional effects of the fires are noticeable for the emergency services. Oliver Linge from the Gröditz fire brigade is worried about the wildlife. The brand -endangered species are not only threatened by the flames, but also by the loss of their habitat. Linge therefore wants rain: "We do not surrender before the fire," he emphasizes, showing the tireless efforts of the fire brigade.

forest fires are not just a problem in Saxony. Statista states that Germany has increasingly affected by such natural events in recent years. In 2023, over 1,200 hectares of forest were destroyed by fires, while in 2022 the maximum value of the past 30 years was reached with over 3,000 hectares. The causes are often human, be it due to arson or negligence.

The current situation in Gohrischheide once again shows how important it is to act preventively and to raise awareness of climate change, which is increasingly promoting such disasters. The return of nature after such fire events is a glimmer of hope, but the way back to normal will be a longer.