2023-06-09 09:22:06
Status: 06/09/2023 06:16 a.m
In parts of Lower Saxony, the risk of forest fires continues to increase. The forest fire control center in Lüneburg is alarmed: the situation should remain tense beyond the weekend.
“We’ve had really critical conditions since the beginning of the month,” said Helmut Beuke, head of the forest fire control center in Lüneburg. The situation in some regions will become “even more critical” by the beginning of next week. The second highest forest fire danger level 4 has been in effect in the Lüneburg Heath for several days. The highest warning level is expected in Wendland and near Celle today. The lower forest authority of the district of Nienburg/Weser has already issued an urgent warning to walkers: no open fire in areas near the forest, do not throw away smoking or cigarette butts, do not leave any glass waste because of the burning glass effect and do not park on dry ground.
Soils in Lower Saxony have dried out
Cause for the development, which also several other federal states, in particular Brandenburg hits is the weather. In spring it rained more than in previous years, but not for a good two weeks, said Beuke. The wind made the situation worse. As a result, the soil dried out everywhere in Lower Saxony. According to Beuke, the cameras of the forest fire center in the heath have already been triggered regarding 150 times this year. Most of these were small forest fires that might be quickly extinguished. Between 400 and 1,000 reports from 17 locations arrive at the forest fire control center every day. In the north-eastern part of Lower Saxony, which is particularly at risk, 440,000 hectares of forest are being monitored.
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Forest fires: New equipment for firefighters
The fire brigades see themselves well prepared for possible forest and wildfires. That said Olaf Rebmann from the Lower Saxony State Fire Brigade Association. The comrades made special, adapted courses. The nearly 126,000 volunteer firefighters and professional fire brigades would thus be prepared for new dangers. In addition, new technology has been procured or at least ordered, according to Rebmann. The Ministry of the Interior had already announced additional equipment and special units for fighting forest fires in the summer of last year.
Firefighting backpacks and new vehicles in the district of Goslar
In the district of Goslar, for example, the fire brigades were equipped with fire fighting backpacks. In addition, many local fire brigades received new protective clothing and new vehicles with pumps and water tanks. The country also creates two fire-fighting aircraft, which are stationed in Braunschweig. These can support the ground forces in the event of a fire. Already with the one that broke out on Sunday and has since been deleted Forest fire on the Brocken, the emergency services received support from the air.
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NDR 1 Lower Saxony | Regional Hanover | 09.06.2023 | 6:30 a.m
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