Although summer is just beginning in Germany, the first forest fires are already causing nationwide warnings. Those are the risks and rules.
Berlin – As if the pictures from the other side of the world weren’t warning enough: fierce forest fires are currently raging on both coasts of Canada, which are making themselves felt in the air quality hundreds of kilometers away, people are being evacuated from their homes, pictures of flames and smoke are going around the world. Most recently, the television station CNN reported that the smoke from Canada could still be detected over Norway – but to understand that the dangers are anything but far away from Europe, a look at the maps of the German Weather Service (DWD) is enough.
Danger of forest fires in Germany – experts sure: “This is just the beginning”
Its experts are also calculating high warning levels for some regions in Germany over the next few days: dark red spots, which symbolize the highest warning level 5, are emblazoned on the forest fire risk maps for the next few days, especially over Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The current weather creates the best conditions for this, with temperatures that sometimes reach the 30-degree mark and bone-dry soil, which you can no longer tell from the sometimes rainy spring.
Wind, heat and drought: Which factors favor forest fires in Germany
A news agency report dpa according to the first forest fires in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are already a reality. An area “contaminated by ammunition” has been on fire in Jüterborg south of Berlin since May 31, and a few days ago firefighters also brought fires in the Göldenitzer Moor south of Rostock under control. A smaller fire was also reported from the southern Palatinate district of Germersheim in Rhineland-Palatinate at the weekend.
The fact that extinguishing and controlling forest fires is not always easy is also due to the wind, which can promote the rapid spread of fires. In addition to dry soil, low humidity and high temperatures, it is also a factor from which the DWD’s forest fire risk index is calculated.
Risk of forest fires in Germany: These rules are intended to prevent fires
According to the findings of the DWD, regions in which dust-dry soil is currently raising the risk of forest fires are not only in the north-east of the country. The dpa said the DWD agricultural meteorologist Andreas Brömser that the drought is currently affecting not only the entire north but also parts of northern Baden-Württemberg, parts of Saarland, Franconia and the Upper Palatinate. In some of the regions it is currently as dry as usual in August, even before the official start of summer. In order to change this, long-lasting precipitation would be needed, because short, heavy rainfall cannot absorb dry soil quickly enough. Most experts see developments like these favored by climate change.
For people in Germany, this means that in some regions rules will soon apply again to reduce the risk of forest fires. Because while weather conditions favor wildfires, most of them start through human error. In addition to additional regional rules, there is a general smoking ban in forest areas throughout Germany between March and October – in some federal states, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, even all year round. Open fires are also prohibited in forests and nature reserves. According to the law, this includes campfires and grills as well as camping stoves. And the experts agree: “This is just the beginning.” (saka with dpa)
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