Wald fire risk in Uelzen: Warning level 4 - citizens must be careful!

Wald fire risk in Uelzen: Warning level 4 - citizens must be careful!

The persistent drought is currently causing great concern in the Uelzen district. As the Az-Online , the forest fire stomach was particularly Level 4 classified, which indicates a high risk. On Sunday, June 22nd, even the highest warning level 5 can be reached. It is all the more important that the population remains vigilant and the warnings take seriously. Simon Märtens, spokesman for the Uelzen fire brigades, appeals to all citizens, especially in forest and hall areas.

The drought not only affects Uelzen, but runs through all of Lower Saxony. The ndr reports that in most of the federal state the middle forest fire level applies, with the exception of the areas mentioned above, in which the high hazardous level is active. The temperatures on Sunday could even climb over 30 degrees Celsius, which further exacerbates the situation. An immediate rain would be urgently needed to relieve the surfaces, since the current vegetation still appears green, but this does not mean protection against fires.

take fire seriously

The incident that led to the current warning was a small forest fire in the Uelzen city forest, which was apparently caused by an carelessly thrown cigarette. Fortunately, the fire brigade was able to intervene quickly, so that the fire remained limited to a small area. Nevertheless, Märtens emphasizes the great danger that goes out of such inattentiveness. Special caution is now required: an absolute ban on open fire in forests and a ban on smoking in all forest areas apply until October 31.

Visitors are encouraged to adhere to strict regulations: Smoking in the forest is prohibited, cigarette remains must be safely disposed of, and only the designated barbecue spaces may be used. In addition, forest paths should be kept free to ensure quick access for emergency services in an emergency.

forest fire risk in the historical context

If you look at the risk of forest fire in Germany in a historical context, you can see that between 1991 and 2017 there was a significant decrease in the areas affected by forest fires. Nevertheless, human misconduct is still the main cause of most fires. According to the Environmental Federal Agency , factors such as dryness and the structure of the forest are decisive for the emergence of fires. In recent years, due to extreme weather conditions, forest fires have risen in some regions, especially in the northeastern federal states.

The challenges in prevention and combating forest fires are expected to increase, since climate change increases the frequency and intensity of such events. So the often increasing risk of forest fires will not be underestimated in the coming months.

So drive carefully, adhere to the regulations and help us protect our forests.