Great fire in Gösselsdorf: Over 250 hectares of forest in danger!

Great fire in Gösselsdorf: Over 250 hectares of forest in danger!

In the Gösselsdorf region on the Saalfeld Höhe, there is a fire: a forest fire has expanded to over 250 hectares since Wednesday and the emergency services faced a major challenge. The situation remains tense, because according to the current reports from Antenne Thuringia are still not under control. Due to strong wind, new embers were sparked, which also made the extinguishing work difficult.

Since the fire broke out at 5:30 p.m., the disaster alarm has kept our country in suspense. Over 300 firefighters and helpers have been mobilized to combat the flames. You get support from drones that monitor the situation from the air, as well as police helicopters, which can step in with up to 1,000 liters of water. Despite all efforts, according to the findings of Nordbayern-there are no more visible flames, but the fire risk remains high.

health warnings and recommendations

The flue gas development is another weighty problem. Residents in several counties in Thuringia, such as Sonnerberg and Saale-Orla-Kreis, as well as in adjacent Bavarian counties such as Kronach, Kulmbach and Hof were urgently warned to keep windows and doors closed and to switch off ventilation and air conditioning systems. Health risks can currently be observed in Kronach, while there is no acute danger in Hof. Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier assessed the situation as "serious", while Prime Minister Mario Voigt praised the emergency services for their tireless efforts and called for caution in dealing with forest areas.

Such a massive spread of forest fires is not just a regional problem, but a nationwide phenomenon. According to Statista, Germany has increasingly struggled with this challenge in recent years. In 2023, over 1,200 hectares were destroyed by fires, which compared to over 3,000 hectares in 2022, the year with the highest destruction in 30 years, has been lower, but draws the necessary attention to the changing climatic conditions. The frequency and intensity of the fires are reinforced by increasingly dry and hot summer, a development that also affects other countries, especially in southern Europe.

an outlook on the coming days

The extinguishing work is expected to continue until the coming weekend, as new embers in the forest repeatedly appear. The German population should be aware of these risks and take appropriate precautions. The emergency services rely on close cooperation to contain the devastating effects of this major fire. Antenne Thuringia will constantly report the developments and keep the citizens up to date.