Huge areas of forest are still burning in the Saxon Switzerland National Park and in southern Brandenburg. The fires are under control and fire-fighting helicopters are a great help in fighting them. Emergency services will also have their hands full in the next few hours.
The situation in the forest fire areas in southern Brandenburg and in the Saxon Switzerland National Park remains serious, despite initially easing slightly. The fight against the flames continues on Thursday, hundreds of firefighters and other emergency services continue to try to contain the fires.
The big forest fire in Kölsa-Rehfeld in the Elbe-Elster district flared up again on Wednesday evening. According to a district spokesman, the flames were on the Saxon side about 250 meters from the B183 federal road in Falkenberg, Brandenburg. The spokesman said that additional Bundeswehr helicopters were also requested for firefighting on Thursday morning.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke and Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir promised support to the affected countries. The federal government supports the federal states according to their possibilities in the fight against the flames, said the Green politician Lemke. "Where I can support the countries in the fight, I will do that," Özdemir promised in the "Rheinische Post". Fighting the fire quickly is now crucial. "The emergency services are already doing great things here," says Özdemir. Both emphasized that the federal government wants to make forests more resistant to the consequences of climate change in the long term.
In an update from the district of Saxon Switzerland-Osterzgebirge on the fire, it was said on Wednesday evening that the situation had eased only a little during the day. "The situation in the fire areas remains tense, but not out of control." While individual sources of fire have been contained and stabilized, others are spreading and must be combated intensively.
There is still no all-clear for the devastating forest fire in southern Brandenburg, but according to the district fire chief on Wednesday, the situation is now under control. This was the result of the evaluation of aerial photos with the thermal camera. Residential evacuations are no longer an issue. "Now it's about pushing the extinguishing work on the ground," said District Administrator Christian Heinrich-Jaschinski. When the temperatures rise, you can expect individual open fires with changing winds. The Bundeswehr firefighting helicopters are being withdrawn, the operation from the air was successful, the district said. Around 360 emergency services were still busy with the major fire in the afternoon. The fire was still raging on 500 hectares. The extinguishing work on Wednesday was made more difficult by a bomb found on Saxon territory not far from the state border. According to the district, a restricted area of 1000 meters was drawn, which extends to Elbe-Elster. No firefighting can currently take place on the respective state pages. A new Bundeswehr tank, which is intended to cut aisles for the fire brigades, is expected for the late afternoon.
According to the district, an average of around 400 emergency services were on site during the day on Wednesday during the fire in Saxon Switzerland, reinforced by two helicopters from the Federal Police and three from the Bundeswehr. "The fire-fighting flights are very effective and the operation has proven its worth. Since the fire situation is still tense, we are aiming to continue using the helicopters at the weekend," said District Administrator Michael Geisler. So far, two firefighters have been slightly injured.
Saxony's Minister of the Interior, Armin Schuster, and Minister of the Environment, Wolfram Günther, want to get an idea of the situation on Thursday. The fire broke out in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park in the Czech Republic over the weekend and spread to the Saxon Switzerland National Park on Monday. In some areas the water supply is problematic - long hose lines from the Elbe and the Kirnitzsch have to be laid. In addition, extinguishing water is brought to the area by tankers. In Bad Schandau in Saxon Switzerland, a disaster alarm has been in effect since Tuesday. Tourists should avoid the area. In the district of Saxon Switzerland-Osterzgebirge, the forests may no longer be entered until further notice. According to the authorities on Wednesday evening, there is currently no risk of the fire spreading to neighboring towns. Claims about vulnerable homes and evacuations are false and should not be carried forward, it said. If the situation changes, the district administration will inform you.
