Red alert: The risk of forest fires in Lower Saxony is increasing sharply!

Red alert: The risk of forest fires in Lower Saxony is increasing sharply!

The coming days promise hot temperatures and an increased risk of forest fires in Lower Saxony. From Saturday, June 20, 2025, the German Weather Service (DWD) expects a medium forest fire warning level for most regions of the state. But those in Lüchow, Uelzen, Faßberg, Bergen, Meppen, Witting-Vorhop and Celle, where the high danger level 4 already applies, should look closely. On Sunday, the highest warning level of 5 is targeted in many areas of Lower Saxony. Temperatures between 28 and 32 degrees Celsius are expected, which alerts the emergency services. However, the forest fire danger index shows that the risk will decrease again from Monday NDR.

As the head of the forest fire center in Lüneburg reports, the team has recorded a high number of operational days in the past few weeks, especially after several forest fires in the Harz Mountains in April. The most recent incident took place in Goldenstedter Moor in May, where a fire was probably started by discarded cigarettes. The Lower Saxony State Forests are therefore calling for vigilance and asking all forest visitors to comply with the existing bans.

Forest fire dangers: Correct behavior is crucial

Citizens can make a decisive contribution to improving the situation. Preventative behavior is a key to reducing the risk of fire. Most fires are of human origin - natural causes such as lightning strikes are far rarer. Common causes of fires are discarded cigarettes, improper disposal of charcoal or inadequately extinguished campfires. If the barbecue celebration was a little too exuberant, you should be careful not to leave the embers in the forest. Hot catalytic converters in cars are also feared arsonists, which can quickly create dangerous situations over dry grass.

Again Lower Saxony Emergency Monitor reports that the summer months are also particularly prone to wildfires when high temperatures and dry weather conditions prevail. President of the Lower Saxony Climate Foundation has noted that climate change is significantly changing weather conditions, which means that forests are being weakened even further by storms, heavy rain and drought.

Prevention measures and bans

Anyone traveling in the forest should adhere to strict rules. From March 1st to October 31st there is a total ban on smoking and grilling is only permitted at official barbecue areas. Drivers should be careful not to park on dry grass to avoid flying sparks from hot catalytic converters. It is extremely important not to throw away burning objects carelessly and, in the event of a fire, to immediately alert the fire department on the emergency number 112.

Lower Saxony has now established a system for the early detection and fighting of forest fires, supported by modern camera technology and two firefighting aircraft. In addition, the voluntary fire brigades equip their emergency services with firefighting material and protective clothing, while the strategy of converting the forest areas into species-rich mixed forests represents a long-term measure to protect against further fires.

It is up to all of us to be vigilant. With a good hand and the right behavior, we can help ensure that our forests remain safe and do not burst into flames again. Let's take care of this together!