No all-clear
Forest fires in Saxony continue to rage
A firefighter responds to a forest fire in Bohemian Switzerland National Park. photo
© Hájek Vojtìch/CTK/dpa
There is still no real relaxation in sight of the forest fires in Saxon Switzerland, Brandenburg and the Czech Republic. The long-lasting rain that was hoped for failed to materialize everywhere by Sunday afternoon.
In the case of the forest fires in Saxon Switzerland, the authorities see no reason to give the all-clear. The fire is limited almost a week after it broke out, but new embers keep appearing, as the spokesman for the Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains district, Thomas Kunz, told the German Press Agency in Berlin on Sunday evening. “We can see the restricted area.”
In a statement from the district on late Sunday evening, it was said that the prospect of easing the situation would depend primarily on the weather: “A heavy rainfall over several days can significantly mitigate the fire and effectively support the work of the emergency services.” In the current situation, the fire brigades assumed that extensive measures would be taken at least until the middle of the week. Rain is forecast for this Monday – but it was unclear how productive it would be.
According to the spokesman, 560 forces were deployed on the Czech border on Sunday, as well as twelve helicopters and a water cannon from the Bavarian police.
According to the authorities, the area affected by the fires is stable at between 140 and 150 hectares – about the size of Helgoland. It can therefore not yet be spoken of a relaxation, said Kunz. The emergency services are concerned that the fire has penetrated the humus layer. “The fire is spreading under the feet of the fire brigade.” To prevent further spread, barriers would be erected in the ground and filled with special foam. This will cool the ground down.
In the south of Brandenburg, on the other hand, the authorities assess the situation as stable. The Elbe-Elster district announced on Sunday evening that she had relaxed further. “The remaining embers are fought separately.” A firefighting helicopter of the Bundeswehr has not been in use since Saturday. According to the information, the area on the border with Saxony should continue to be “closely” controlled by the emergency services. The last concern was that embers could reignite the fire.
There is also a fire in the Czech Republic
The fire broke out in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park in the Czech Republic last weekend and spread to the Saxon Switzerland National Park on Monday. The further development depends on the weather, said Kunz. Rain is forecast for this Monday, but it is unclear how extensive it will be.
On the Czech side, the extent of the fire is even greater: there the flames are raging over an area of a good 1000 hectares, 750 firefighters from all over the Czech Republic are on site. “Because of the challenging terrain, the work is progressing relatively slowly,” said a spokeswoman for the emergency services on Sunday on CT public television. So far, eight emergency services have been injured on the Czech side, several of them seriously. Four firefighters have been injured on the Saxon side so far, two of them had to be hospitalized.
Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) wants to visit the forest fire area on Monday. According to the State Chancellery in Dresden, she wants to get an idea of the situation – together with the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) and Bundeswehr General Carsten Breuer. Kretschmer was already in the Arzberg fire area in the district of North Saxony on Saturday. A forest fire is raging there on the border between Brandenburg and the Free State. Kretschmer encouraged the people in the affected areas: “We stick together here. We will overcome this serious crisis – I’m quite sure of that.”