Erfurt/Bad Schandau (dpa/th) - Task forces from the German Red Cross from Thuringia are also helping to fight the forest fire in Saxon Switzerland. Five forces from the DRK mountain rescue service from Ilmenau and Meuselbach are deployed there with two all-terrain vehicles, as the DRK announced on Tuesday. They mainly transport hoses, technical equipment, fuel and food to the fire brigade's deployment sites. They also help them with safety technology and heat-resistant ropes when fighting fires in areas that are difficult to access. According to the DRK, the use of the Thuringian helpers, which began last Thursday, will last until next Friday.
The situation in Saxon Switzerland has eased slightly around two weeks after the forest fire broke out. According to the authorities, no open flames were discovered on Tuesday night for the first time in a long time. Around 800 firefighters are still active there, on an area of around 150 hectares. This corresponds to the size of around 210 soccer fields.
