Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Fire at Lübtheen and Hagenow increased to 135 hectares
Smoke and flames at the former military training area in Lütheen. The use is considered difficult because old ammunition is lying in the ground, which has already detonated. photo
© Thomas Schulz/dpa
Fires broke out on former military training areas in Hagenow and Lübtheen. Local residents report detonations. A town had to be evacuated.
The forest fires that broke out yesterday in southwest Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania near Lübtheen and Hagenow (both in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district) grew to 100 and 35 hectares respectively by late evening. District Administrator Stefan Sternberg (SPD) said this at a press conference in Lübtheen. Around 500 firefighters fought the flames at both locations.
In 2019, the largest forest fire in the history of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania raged on almost 1000 hectares on a former military training area near Lübtheen. The Viezer Heide near Hagenow is also a former military area. Both areas are munitions contaminated. There were detonations.
The authorities are particularly concerned about the fire in Lübtheen, while the situation in Hagenow is relatively stable, as a district spokesman said. The village of Volzrade, which belongs to Lübtheen, was evacuated in the evening. According to the information, the fire was about 800 meters from the houses by nightfall. Water is brought to the areas to protect the houses from the flames.
Situation more difficult than with the fire four years ago
The situation is even more difficult than in the major fire four years ago, it said. Due to the fire at that time there was a lot of dead wood in the forest, which is now burning massively. Greater heat develops, which penetrates deeper into the ground and causes old ammunition to explode where you really didn’t expect it.
Sternberg said they hope the former so-called Panzerringstraße – a wide, bare swath around the former military compound – would stop the fire. Gusty winds exacerbated the situation.
Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) emphasized in Lübtheen that after the major fire in 2019, more than 15 million euros had been invested in the site to improve fire protection. Among other things, around 15 wells were drilled. Lack of extinguishing water was a problem in 2019. According to the information, Interior Minister Christian Gauge (SPD) was on his way to the scene of the fire late in the evening. Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) wants to come in the morning.