Bad Schandau (dpa / sn) - The situation in the forest fire area National Park Saxon Switzerland is not yet under control. "The situation remains tense. The rain during the night helped a little, but the gusty wind caused problems," said Yamina Benamara from the Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains district office on Saturday morning on request. Around 600 firefighters and twelve firefighting helicopters are still busy fighting embers deep underground.
"The fire continues to travel at a depth of up to half a meter," Benamara explained. The ground had to be torn up in tedious and exhausting work and then watered heavily. Heavy equipment or vehicles could not be used in the rocky and steep terrain.
The operational area still covers an area of around 150 hectares - this corresponds to the size of around 210 soccer fields. There is no end in sight as long as heavy rainfall does not support the work. According to the German weather service, no rain is expected for the entire coming week.
The fire broke out in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park and then spread to the Saxon Switzerland National Park. On the Czech side, according to the local authorities, the fire is under control.
