Help from Kronach: 92 firefighters fight against the risk of forest fire in Thuringia

Help from Kronach: 92 firefighters fight against the risk of forest fire in Thuringia

Over 90 firefighters from the Kronach district gathered on Thursday evening in Ludwigsstadt to support in Thuringia to combat a large -scale forest fire. The request came over the government of Upper Franconia after the disaster of the disaster in the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt region. District Administrator Klaus Löffler and district fire councilor Frank Fischer were on site at the posting and accompanied the emergency services on their way to the operational area.

A total of 92 firefighters with 15 vehicles broke into the region threatened by the flames. After a first evaluation of the situation, additional help was requested on Friday morning. Shortly afterwards, three more trains made themselves on the way with fire brigades and THW staff, equipped with two water tanks, each capturing 8,000 liters. These operations are crucial to support the water supply and the extinguishing work on site, because the fire is not yet under control, but the spread has so far been prevented thanks to faster inserts. These dramatic developments confirm that the operating situation is one of the largest and most demanding in recent decades, as Bayreuther Tagblatt reports.

challenges on site

The firefighters are not only faced with flames, but also confronted with extreme weather conditions, embers and rough terrain. The strong wind further complicates the extinguishing work. The Bayreuth fire brigade has integrated four fire trucks into the operational structure in order to work together on combating the fire. The tasks include the deglishment of embers, the operation of tank fire engines and the establishment of a hose route as well as the use of the innovative extinguishing robot "Wolf R1".

In addition, the Bayreuth flight helper group, which was originally planned for exercises, now supports the fight against the flames. The BRK Hollfeld comes to the help of the emergency services with warm meals and drinks. The dynamic location in Saalfeld requires quick help and the Upper Franconian forces not only bring human resources, but also special forest fire equipment. The assignment is initially planned until Sunday and there is close communication between the units involved.

forest fire ranges in Thuringia

The risk of forest fire in Thuringia has been officially monitored since March 1, a season that lasts until the end of October. The daily determination of the dangers is based on highly developed forecasting procedures and is categorized in five danger levels. Thuringia Forest works closely with the German Weather Service to estimate the risks in the best possible way. Climate change plays a not inconsiderable role here, because heat and drought increase the risk of forest fire. As the Thuringiaforst , many of these fires are man-made, often through careless behavior of forest visiting, which has harmful consequences.

The increasing use of the forests by visitors leads to an increasing risk of fire events, which is why clarification of the causes of forest fire and rules of conduct is essential. Prevention measures and investments in the technology to fight forest fire have also been reinforced. Among other things, new fire fighting units are now available that are equipped with the latest extinguishing technology.

In this critical situation, the commitment and speed of the emergency services from the districts of Kronach and Bayreuth are of the utmost importance. Their tireless efforts not only secure the surrounding forests, but also the well-being of the residents in the Saalfeld-Rudolstadt region.