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Forest fire on the Brocken: dozens of hikers evacuated
Hikers have been evacuated from the Brocken (archive image)
© Matthias Bein / DPA
A forest fire broke out on the Brocken in the Harz Mountains. Helpers got hikers out of the danger zone.
A fire broke out on the Königsberg in Schierke in the Harz Mountains on Sunday – about 100 people had to be taken from the highest mountain in northern Germany, the Brocken. According to a spokeswoman for the city of Wernigerode, vacationers who were near the fire and were walking there were taken to safety.
“People were evacuated with buses so that they could get down safely from the mountain. Rail traffic has stopped because danger can also emanate from the rails,” said the city spokeswoman for the German Press Agency. In coordination with the national park administration, several hiking trails were closed.
Forest burns at the side of the Brocken
Below the side crest of the Brocken, it started to burn at an old fire in the afternoon. The flames spread quickly due to changing winds, so that around two hectares were burning on Sunday evening. In addition to around 120 emergency services from surrounding towns, two fire-fighting planes and a fire-fighting helicopter were also deployed.
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At around 9 p.m., the city announced that the fire was under control.” In the meantime, around 35,000 liters of fire-fighting water had been dropped from the air. At the same time, it said: “The development during the night remains to be seen.” The operation will continue until dark at 10 p.m continued – and should then continue at 8 a.m. on Monday morning.
Wernigerode’s Lord Mayor Tobias Kascha thanks all the forces from Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony as well as the Brockenwirt for catering for the forces.