Catastrophic: Forest fires out of control in Germany!

Catastrophic: Forest fires out of control in Germany!

Schmalkalden-Meiningen, Deutschland - The summer heat not only brings sun rays, but also devastating forest fires. In Germany, two large foci of fire have now come out of control. In the evening, the disaster was proclaimed in the district of Gösseldorf, while similar measures were taken in the southeast of Thuringia, in the district of Saalfeld-Rudolfstadt. Almost 270 hectares of forest are affected and the air is shaped by dense smoke development.

As reports Merkur, the fire is increasingly spreading through the wind. In order to control the situation, 150 firefighters are on duty, and an additional 100 other emergency services were requested. Delete helicopters and the technical relief organization support the fire brigade. The exact cause of the fire is currently still unknown.

Restrictions on rail traffic

The forest fires also have a direct impact on rail traffic: two routes in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen and Gotha district are affected, which leads to considerable delays on ICE trains to Frankfurt-the trains can now arrive later. Some train stations are no longer hit, and bus traffic has been set up to redistribute travelers.

But it doesn't just stay with these two hotspots. Evacuation also had to be carried out in Heidehäuser in Saxony. Around 100 people, including around 45 residents, are affected. The expansion of the fire in Gohrischheide has drastically multiplied and now affects around 600 hectares, while the flames already cross the border with Brandenburg.

The role of the heat wave

The fire brigade tempts the current weather to work under extremely difficult conditions. All over Germany, the risk of forest fire has risen sharply due to a continuing heat wave, as already reported in the summer of 2023, as the Federal Environment Agency. Although the number of forest fires fell by half compared to the previous year, the affected area remained above the long -term average.

2023 1,059 forest fires were registered across Germany. Brandenburg was the main actor with 251 fires, followed by Lower Saxony and Saxony. The Jüterbog region in Brandenburg suffered the largest fire area with 765.2 hectares. These developments are worrying because forecasts indicate an increasing risk of forest fire in the coming decades.

climate change has left its mark; This shows that younger coniferous forests are particularly at risk, which makes prevention all the more important in these areas. The population is also called up to be more careful when dealing with fire, because about 40 % of the fire cases are due to human failure. These unpleasant statistics are a clear wake -up call.

In the coming days, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop. The focus is on combating the fires and supporting the affected communities. But one thing is certain: the topic of forest fire will continue to accompany us in the next few years.