In Europe it’s not burning like it’s been for a long time. This season is exceptional for two reasons: The fires in Europe are burning much earlier than usual. And they are consuming more land. Not only in France, Spain and Greece, but also in Germany.
**SZ reporter Benjamin von Brackel** was in Brandenburg, where the fires are currently particularly raging. He says: There are ideal conditions for forest fires. On the one hand, it is generally very dry there. On the other hand, “there are mainly pine forests there. They burn like tinder.” According to von Brackel, the risk of forest fires is also in the forest itself. In the end, however, the cause of a forest fire is usually man: “Campers or visitors who don’t extinguish a campfire properly. Or just a discarded cigarette.”
Von Brackel also says that the fire brigades are constantly being faced with new challenges: “Today there is actually no patent remedy anymore.” However, Germany must be prepared for further fires in the future, since climate change favors what is known as fire weather. Therefore, the fire brigades would have to be better equipped and the forests would have to be put together differently.
**In other news:** Gas levy, Earth Overshoot Day
**Moderation, Editor:** Tami Holderried
**Editorial:** Vinzent-Vitus Leitgeb, Charlotte Honold
**Production:** Carlo Sarsky
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