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Forest fire in Gohrischheide: barracks under protection, evacuations underway
In Saxony, hundreds of emergency services are fighting a dangerous forest fire in Gohrischheide. Evacuations are underway.
Forest fire in Gohrischheide: barracks under protection, evacuations underway
A huge forest fire is currently raging in Gohrischheide, Saxony, and is presenting the emergency services with immense challenges. Hundreds of helpers, including firefighters and members of the Technical Relief Agency, are fighting the flames that are threateningly moving towards a Bundeswehr barracks. The Meißen district office states that the emergency services are working in a well-coordinated manner to stop the fire from spreading. Loud n-tv Over 300 emergency services have been active since Friday afternoon and a Bundeswehr helicopter is expected to provide additional support to the situation.
The fire broke out on Tuesday near the communities of Zeithain and Wülknitz and has now spread over an area of up to 2,100 hectares, as District Administrator Hänsel reports. The situation is critical as both the barracks and a depot currently need to be secured. Firefighters have spent the night near the scene for the first time and the fire-fighting water supply is also ensured, so there is no bottleneck. Additional extraction points were set up in Nieska to support the fire department.
Life in danger
The evacuation of residents in Jacobsthal Bahnhof will continue until Sunday evening to ensure the safety of residents. Around 45 residents are allowed to return briefly under police protection to get necessary items from their homes. A total of 20 houses in the region have been evacuated, while the situation is more relaxed in Neudorf, where evacuation measures have already been lifted.
The operation between Lichtensee and Neudorf has been successful, but there are still isolated pockets of embers that the fire department is keeping an eye on. Fighting the fire is also difficult because old ammunition in the ground makes it difficult to extinguish. The fire broke out in the nature reserve, which makes the situation even more explosive and has spread to Brandenburg in some places. Past periods of heat and drought, favored by climate change, are contributing to the increasing number of forest fires in Germany, and the current situation in Saxony is not an isolated case. Loud Statista Over 3,000 hectares of forest area in Germany were destroyed by fires in 2022.
The coming challenges
With a total area of around 2,800 hectares in Gohrischheide, it is crucial to maintain the barriers to residential areas and the barracks in order to prevent further damage. However, according to emergency services, a fire that broke out on a railway line was reported on Saturday evening and was manageable, which is a bright spot in the tense situation. District Administrator Hänsel emphasized that the emergency services are doing everything they can to get the situation under control and to ensure the safety of the population.
The coming days will be crucial in determining whether the flames can be completely contained or whether the fire will take over again. With the tireless efforts of the helpers and a wide protective strip around the barracks, there is hope that relaxation will soon return to Gohrischheide. MDR continues to report on the current status of developments in the region.