Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
The situation in forest fire areas stable
Smoke and flames at the former military training area in Lübtheen. The use is considered difficult because old ammunition is lying in the ground, which has already detonated. photo
© Thomas Schulz/dpa
Fighting the forest fires in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim works: wide aisles that are watered keep the flames from spreading further. First measures are lifted.
Good news for the residents of the village of Volzrade near Lübtheen, which was evacuated on Monday: After a quiet night in the forest fire areas in southwest Mecklenburg, the situation has stabilized to the point that they can return to their homes in the afternoon. The evacuation will be lifted from 2 p.m., said the responsible district administrator Stefan Sternberg (SPD) on Wednesday morning in Lübtheen. There are currently no explosions in the fire area, which speaks for a cooling of the area. The ground between the forest fire area and the town – around 500 meters – is well watered, so that there is no longer any danger to the town. Volzrade has around 160 inhabitants.
The area affected by the forest fire on the former Lübtheen military training area remained at 100 hectares. There are currently no more open flames. The concept of firebreaks up to 60 meters wide and their irrigation works. Irrigation is scheduled to resume on Wednesday. Sternberg also announced the immediate purchase of another 40 so-called circular sprinklers.
The measures are intended to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas. That also works very well, says Sternberg. The aisles were created after the devastating major fire on the former military site, which was heavily contaminated with ammunition, in 2019 with an area of almost 1000 hectares affected.
In the Viezer Heide near Hagenow – also an area contaminated with ammunition – a Bundeswehr tank had cleared a wide aisle around the fire on Tuesday. According to Sternberg, the situation there has stabilized to such an extent that the area can probably be handed over to the city and the other owners in the evening. The adjacent federal highway 321, which had been closed due to the fire, is to be released again at 12 p.m. The forest fire had covered an area of 47 hectares near Hagenow.