Red alert in the district: Huge forest fire near Gösselsdorf!

Red alert in the district: Huge forest fire near Gösselsdorf!

A violent forest fire is currently keeping the region around Gösselsdorf in the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt district in suspense. How MDR.de According to reports, the fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon and has since spread rapidly due to strong winds. Around 200 hectares of forest have already been affected, making the situation tense. With around 150 firefighters on site and a further 100 personnel requested through the state administration office, a considerable emergency team is ready. Firefighting helicopters were also requested from the police to support the fire-fighting work.

The district declared a disaster early in the evening, which underlines the drama of the situation. The heavy smoke caused by the fire is particularly alarming. The exact reasons for the accident are still unclear, but the risk of forest fires in Thuringia has been assessed as high since Wednesday. The Heldburg Forestry Office in the south is particularly affected, where the highest danger level is 5.

Fire brigade faces major challenges

The challenge for the emergency services is compounded by the extreme weather conditions: Little rain in the past few months and rising temperatures have caused the forest floor to dry out significantly. They are therefore particularly vulnerable to fires during this time. On average, there are between 20 and 40 forest fires in Thuringia every year, but 24 fires have already been registered this year - a high number that will already lead to floods in 2025. Typically, most wildfires don't peak until August.

Forest fire monitoring in Thuringia begins on March 1st and ends at the end of October. It includes the daily determination of regional forest fire risks using a forecasting process. Loud ThuringiaForst The danger level is divided into five categories. A corresponding forest fire danger map can be viewed free of charge on the Internet. It is noted that careless behavior by forest visitors remains the main cause of many fires, especially at a time when forest use is increasing.

Climate change as a contributing cause

It cannot be overlooked that climate change, with its increasingly extreme weather conditions, is constantly increasing the risk of forest fires. Studies show that such fires can not only cause devastating damage, but also have a negative impact on the health of the population through fine dust pollution. In 2023 alone, over 1,200 hectares were destroyed by forest fires in Germany. A particularly worrying trend that affects us all. Germany, like southern European countries and regions in the USA, is increasingly affected by forest fires, which forces us to rethink, as Corona has recently shown us.

The situation remains tense and the appeal to the population is clear: behave carefully in the forest, do not park on forest paths so that the fire engines can be used unhindered. With all the fun that nature offers, the risks of possible fire hazards should always be considered because we cannot afford to lose nature.