Forest fire danger! Dramatic firefighting work on Ravensberg near Bad Sachsa

Forest fire danger! Dramatic firefighting work on Ravensberg near Bad Sachsa

A spectacular forest fire caused a stir near Bad Sachsa in the Göttingen district on Wednesday evening. The fire broke out on Ravensberg and spread to around two hectares. While the Bad Sachsa fire brigade fought with great effort to contain the fire, a Unimog was used to provide support to make the extinguishing work on the steep slope easier. Loud NDR The water supply was a particular challenge because it had to be built over long distances.

The emergency services dug up the ground to smother embers and prevent the fire from spreading further. The strong winds repeatedly reignited the fire. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries; The birds of prey in the nearby Harzfalkenhof were also not in danger because the aviaries were watered for safety.

Cause of fire unclear

The exact circumstances that led to this forest fire are still unclear. Investigations by the Bad Lauterberg police are underway to determine the cause of the fire. A previous field fire in the region near Auhagen had already affected 10,000 square meters of area, and around 8,000 square meters of forest burned in Holdorf. This is why forest fires are becoming an increasingly worrying issue in Germany. Statista reports that over 1,200 hectares of forests were destroyed by fires in 2023, a trend that is worrying and is primarily fueled by climate change.

The rapid spread of these fires not only endangers the habitats of many animals, but also has far-reaching health consequences due to the fine dust released. In recent years, southern flank areas in Europe, the USA and the Amazon region have been particularly affected by the loss of forest areas.

Challenges for the fire department

In the case of the fire-torn Ravensberg, the firefighters had to contend with extreme conditions. Temperatures on the ground were still around 200 degrees Celsius, which made extinguishing the fire even more difficult. Despite the heavy deployment of around 200 firefighters and a firefighting plane equipped with 3,000 liters of water, the risk of a flare-up remains high.

The importance of the Ravensberg is not only important in terms of the landscape, but also for the local infrastructure, as the restaurant there, the Ravensbergbaude, has to remain temporarily closed due to the fire. The Ravensberg, known for its 64 meter high transmission tower, is a striking feature of the Harz skyline and attracts many visitors.

The incident is another example of the challenges our forests face in times of climate change. With an increasingly dangerous forest fire situation in Germany, we need to think seriously about protective measures and how we can preserve our natural resources.