Waldbrand over Granetal lock: 300 emergency services fight against flames!

Waldbrand over Granetal lock: 300 emergency services fight against flames!

Goslar, Deutschland - The emergency services have been in the alarm state since Sunday evening, June 23, to combat a large forest fire above the Granetal lock. The Goslar fire brigade received the alarm shortly after 6 p.m., although the extent of the fire was already clearly visible on the way. High temperatures, strong gusts of wind and an exposed location help to spread the fire rapidly. Over 200 helpers are currently doing their job to contain the flames.

The first extinguishing measures have been initiated by the soil and from the air with the "Hexe 1" fire aircraft. On Monday morning, two larger fire areas and several smaller spot fire are still active. In particular, the left flank is processed with D-pipes, which release water between 25 and 50 liters per minute. Hand teams have the task of deleting embers. However, parts of the forest area are difficult to access due to the trees at risk of falling.

intensive extinguishing work

The use of special machines, such as Harverster and a rising excavator, was requested as a precaution to support the extinguishing work. A fire -fighting helicopter is also used to optimize the air extinguishing measures. Meteorologists warn that the wind is considered a problem factor; Stubborn gusts could make the situation more difficult. The temperatures dropped on Monday morning, while the humidity rose, which could have a positive impact on the extinguishing measures.

The affected area is currently difficult to quantify, but it is estimated that it is about eight hectares. With over 300 on -site emergency services, including 14 spontaneous helpers from a flood aid project, everything is done to control the fire. Among the forces involved are the fire brigade, mountain rescue, DRK, police and the Waldbrandteam e. V. The health care of the emergency services is carried out by the German Red Cross and the mountain rescue service, while the security of the helpers is top priority; risky measures are only taken after careful consideration.

population called for caution

Mayor Urte Schwerdtner thanked everyone involved for their tireless efforts and asked the population to avoid affected areas. Acute dangers from extinguishing water, smoke, heat, strong wind and falling branches should not be underestimated. The access to the Steinberg-Alm and the playground remains reserved for the emergency services.

Further remarkable information is that the risk of forest fire in Germany is increasingly promoted by the increasing dry and heat period of climate change. In 2023, over 1,200 hectares of area through forest fires in Germany had to be cleared, whereby the number of fires has decreased compared to the previous year, but the dangers of arson and negligence continue to exist. Unfortunately, this situation is visible in other parts of Europe, such as the latest fires in Austria, where the fire brigade fought under extreme conditions to tame the flames.

Although the fire is not yet fully contained, the emergency services give everything to control the situation. The thoughts of the public are among the helpers who work until exhaustion to protect nature and the adjacent areas. The coming days will be decisive to assess the progress of the extinguishing work.