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Heat wave 2025: This is how we protect homeless people in the city!
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania expects heat of up to 35 degrees. Protective measures for homeless people are urgently needed.
Heat wave 2025: This is how we protect homeless people in the city!
Temperatures in northern Germany are skyrocketing this week, with values reaching up to 35 degrees. These extreme temperatures not only bring humidity but also an increased risk of forest fires. The second-highest forest fire risk level 4 has been reached at several measuring stations, so caution is advised, especially in the more rural regions. The situation is particularly worrying for homeless people, as they are at great risk due to the heat and the lack of sheltered, cool spaces. This reports NDR.
Corresponding measures have already been taken in many cities in northern Germany. Various institutions have created contact points and shelters to help homeless people during this heated time. The head of the Diakonisches Werk Hannover has called on the population to offer support to homeless people and to draw attention to their needs. This is consistent with a call from Diakonie Hamburg, which emphasizes that many homeless people often have pre-existing conditions and particularly suffer from the extreme temperatures. They not only lack access to drinking water, but also the opportunity to relax in cool rooms.
Heat protection measures for vulnerable groups
In Hamburg, where the challenges are particularly great, there are currently 54 public drinking water fountains. For comparison: In Berlin there are 240, which shows that Hamburg still has some catching up to do when it comes to heat protection. The heat action plan published in January 2025 identifies the dangers for homeless people, but the measures are rated as inadequate. Many of the initiatives mentioned in the action plan are difficult to access for these vulnerable groups, which further exacerbates the situation. The city of Hamburg largely relies on voluntary commitment from companies and shops to close gaps in heat protection and, among other things, offers free sunscreen with SPF 50 in Hamburg-Mitte.
In view of such circumstances, volunteer heat controllers in the Bergedorf district are active to provide information about heat protection. How heat.info explains, heat action plans are critical to improving education and preparedness at the individual and institutional levels. Health facilities and community interventions must be mandated across the board to ensure that all residents are protected from the health risks of extreme heat.
Anyone who enjoys the clear nights can watch the Perseids, which are active until August 24th. We can expect particularly good visibility conditions in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday when the shooting stars move across the sky. But before that happens, the challenges of high temperatures must be overcome. The coming days not only promise a summer feeling, but also demand our solidarity and care for those who are particularly vulnerable.
At the weekend, a northwesterly wind could provide a pleasant cooling effect, with highs of 23 degrees on the Danish border and 28 to 29 degrees in southern Lower Saxony. This means we can still enjoy the summer weather, but we should not lose sight of the dangers posed by heat, especially for homeless people. It is the responsibility of society as a whole to offer help and find ways to better cope with the oppressive temperatures.