Eastern Forest Fires Emit Smell Reaching Berlin's Perimeter
Eastern Germany is currently battling several severe forest fires, with over 1,000 emergency personnel, including firefighters, police, and military helicopters, working tirelessly to contain the blazes.
In the town of Gohrischheide, Saxony, a forest fire started on Tuesday near a military training area, with the cause still unknown. This fire is particularly dangerous due to detonations of buried munitions on site, complicating firefighting efforts. The district administration reported the fire to be around 200 hectares, while local firefighters estimated it to be approximately 1,000 hectares. Specialists from Saxony-Anhalt have been called in to combat the vegetation fire.
Meanwhile, in Thuringia, the fire at Saalfelder Höhe is the largest forest fire the state has seen in 199 years. The extensive blaze has required large-scale firefighting operations, although the exact size of the fire in hectares or area burned has not been specified. Around 20 kilometers of hose lines have been laid for the Saalfelder Height firefighting efforts.
In addition, a separate forest fire is being fought in the Zerbster district of Jüterbog, Saxony-Anhalt, with the cause still unknown. The B184 federal highway and the adjacent railway line between Dessau and Magdeburg were completely closed due to the fire, but the situation is now stable. Around 150 emergency services personnel and a federal police helicopter are on site for the fire in Jüterbog.
The German Weather Service (DWD) has issued warnings about the likelihood of more forest fires over the weekend in southern and eastern Germany, although improvements are expected on Monday with incoming rain. The water supply for firefighting remains an issue in the Saalfelder Height fire.
Fire departments have issued warnings via the Nina and Mowas warning apps regarding the smoke detected in southern Berlin due to the wind change. Farmers are assisting with filling fire ponds using tractors and water trailers for the Saalfelder Height fire.
Thuringia's Minister-President, Mario Voigt, has thanked emergency services personnel for their efforts in fighting the Saalfelder Height fire. The aim in the Saalfelder Height fire is to maintain the situation and prevent the fire from spreading, while in the Gohrischheide area, the focus is on containing the highly dangerous fire.
The situation remains dynamic, and updates are ongoing as firefighters work to contain these major wildfires in eastern Germany.
In the context of the ongoing wildfires in eastern Germany, the environmental science community is closely monitoring the impact of these fires on the local ecosystem, particularly considering the potential release of harmful substances from buried munitions in Gohrischheide. The weather conditions, predicted by the German Weather Service (DWD), are also of significant concern as dry weather and wind could further exacerbate the fires.
