Erfurt (dpa/th) - Despite moderate temperatures at the beginning of the week, Thuringia can expect a hot first week of August. "It's going to be a steep climb for the next few days," said a spokesman for the German Weather Service (DWD) on Monday in Leipzig. After a changeable Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will be mostly sunny. The maximum temperatures rose from 30 degrees Celsius on Tuesday to 35 degrees on Wednesday and up to 38 degrees on Thursday. One could certainly speak of another "wave of heat", said the spokesman. However, Friday heralded the end of the heat wave again; then rain and temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius are to be expected.
According to the Thüringenforst State Forestry Institute, the risk of forest fires in the Free State is also increasing with the rising temperatures. On Monday, the map primarily showed a very low to medium forest fire risk. The rain of the past few days has brought something short-term and the risk of forest fires has been significantly reduced, said a Thuringia forest spokesman. Every drop of rain is a blessing for the forest in what has been a very dry and warm year so far.
With up to 38 degrees in the course of the week "it is not reading coffee grounds that high to very high forest fire risk levels will certainly be proclaimed again," said the spokesman. If you want to cool off in the forest on warm days, you should make sure not to park your car on forest paths or on grassy areas and to observe the smoking ban in the forest, the spokesman said.
