In Brandenburg and Saxon Switzerland, burning forests keep the emergency services in suspense. Hundreds of people had to be brought to safety. animals perished. Rail traffic in the Elbe-Elster district was partially interrupted.
The fire brigade in Brandenburg continues to fight against the large forest fire in the Elbe-Elster district. The situation is “very tense,” said a spokesman for the fire department of the dpa news agency. The fire is not yet under control. It is still burning in an area of 800 hectares.
The Kölsa settlement in the town of Falkenberg (Elster) is particularly affected. When fighting the fire with around 400 emergency services, seven emergency services were injured, six of them had to be taken to the hospital. The towns of Kölsa, Kölsa-Siedlung and Rehfeld, which belong to the town of Falkenberg/Elster, were evacuated. Around 700 people are affected.
The decision to evacuate the district of Lönnewitz, which belongs to the town of Mühlberg, and the district of Marxdorf, which belongs to the municipality of Vierlinden, should be made during the course of the day, said a spokeswoman for the district.
The fire had spread within a very short time on Monday. The district classified the fire as a major damage situation. In addition, a piglet farm burned down. Many animals died as a result. The exact number was initially not clear.
“The major fire continues to spread dynamically,” warned the district. The gusts of wind would make the extinguishing work “significantly” more difficult and sometimes even “impossible”. Fighting the fire could take several days. For Tuesday, among other things, helicopters from the Bundeswehr and a helicopter from the police were requested, said Deputy Forest Fire Protection Officer Philipp Haase.
Rail traffic interrupted
Due to the forest fire in the Elbe-Elster district, Deutsche Bahn has interrupted rail traffic between Leipzig and Cottbus. The section between Torgau and Falkenberg on line RE10 is affected, said a railway spokesman.
Areas north of Berlin near Gransee are also affected. There, the fire brigade in the district of Oberhavel fought a fire on around 60 hectares of fields and forests. This could be contained, said the forest fire protection expert. Around 100 emergency services were on site.
Fire in Saxon Switzerland
A forest fire that broke out in the Czech National Park Bohemian Switzerland spread in the Saxon Switzerland National Park. Tourists were urged to avoid the Hintere Sächsische Schweiz area. There is danger to life and limb, said the Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains district office. A disaster alarm had been triggered for Bad Schandau. There are currently five deployment sites around the Großer Winterberg.
More than 250 firefighters and members of the federal and state police are on duty. Water cannons and two helicopters are also used to fight the fire. “Our big problem is the wind,” said a spokesman for the Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains district office, referring to the spread of the fire.
While on Monday there was still a high risk of forest fires in some parts of Germany – especially in the east – this should decrease on Tuesday according to the forest fire risk index of the German Weather Service.
Wildfire in Falkenberg cannot be contained
Wildfires in Gironde: Landiras fire extinguished
Wildfires in Lesbos and Peloponnese
