Fire brigade Quickborn: Red alarm level - the risk of moor fire increases enormously!

Fire brigade Quickborn: Red alarm level - the risk of moor fire increases enormously!

in northern Germany, it may burn much worse than it appears. The Quickborner Himmelmoor in the Pinneberg district is particularly affected, where the fire brigade urgently warns of the acute risk of forest fire. Today, on July 2, 2025, the upcoming rains should not be enough to capture the impending danger, as press spokesman Thorsten Hintz explains. The region has proclaimed the second highest forest fire hazard level, which causes additional concerns to the emergency services. According to NDR, the combat of moor fires is particularly challenging.

Where does the danger come from? A problem with moor fires is insufficient detection in less populated areas. Once the fire is sparked, peat layers can also burn underground, and that makes the extinguishing work complicated. Special means are used at the Quickborn fire brigade. The emergency services use "fire patients" to strike out the fire because large extinguishing vehicles cannot drive far into the moor. Sometimes even the moor itself has to be dug up to suffocate the flames.

the view of the past

But how did the situation around forest and moor fires in Germany actually develop? A look at the Data of the Federal Environment Agency shows that the forest areas concerned have significantly decreased between 1991 and 2017. Nevertheless, the competitive forest fire hazard remains constant in some regions or has even increased. In particular, the years and 2019 brought a drastic increase in forest fires with extreme heat and drought, with large surface fires in the northeastern federal states.

The challenges in forest fire prevention and fighting are increasing. There are causes of ignition side by side, such as negligent action and arson, the blooms, while the spread of fires depends on wind speed and the fire brigade's capacities. In 2018, for example, 1,708 forest fires were registered across Germany, which damaged 2,349 hectares of forest. Brandenburg was particularly active with 512 fires alone, which strongly reminds of the danger prevailing here.

The current situation

What about how it is in the Quickborner Himmelmoor? Despite all efforts, the situation remains critical. With an amphibian vehicle, Quickborn has a special solution to achieve difficult to access bog areas. However, the intensity of the heat and the persistent drought presents the firefighters with new challenges every day. The announced rains are not enough today to eliminate the danger.

The fire brigade and the residents are on the hat. The use of the firefighters shows that it is crucial to act quickly and plan forward -looking. The constant training and investments in the infrastructure are essential in order to be prepared in an emergency. Because if summer teaches us, it is that the flames can be dangerous faster than you think.