Burned hundreds of hectares of forest
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The first rains have eased the situation around Treuenbrietzen
At the weekend, forests around Treuenbrietzen were on fire in an area the size of 280 football pitches, and three towns were evacuated. Rain started early on Monday morning – this gives hope to the rescue workers.
The forest fire near Treuenbrietzen (Potsdam-Mittelmark) is currently under control. After the first showers, the situation was much more relaxed than on Sunday evening, explained Brandenburg’s forest fire protection officer Raimund Engel on Monday morning on rbb24 Inforadio.
The fire in the Treuenbrietzener district of Frohnsdorf with 180 hectares is limited. There, however, further extinguishing work and security checks would take place, according to Engel: “The previous rain showers have not yet extinguished it, it will still be a bit busy here.” He is counting on an announced thunderstorm front moving through Brandenburg and bringing even more relaxation to both areas.
Firefighters rely on rain
The on-site operations manager, Olaf Lehmann, said on Monday morning to Antenne Brandenburg that there was still smoke developing at Treuenbrietzen, but no more strong flames. The current rain should last until around noon. However, Lehmann did not give the all-clear. After that it will remain permanently dry, so it could turn back in the other direction.
There are currently 455 emergency services on site. In addition, around 150 are on their way to replace their colleagues. In addition, the Bundeswehr is helping with a tank that clears the trees aside.
Forest already burned in 2018
The fire broke out on Friday afternoon in a forest that is considered to be contaminated with ammunition. The emergency services are therefore unable to advance onto the site, which makes it extremely difficult to contain the fire. Midsummer heat and rising winds had fueled the fire on Sunday. At times, up to 200 hectares of forest were on fire – an area the size of 280 soccer fields. The districts of Klausdorf, Tiefenbrunnen and Frohnsdorf had to be evacuated, affecting around 620 people. Emergency accommodation was set up for the evacuees in the Treuenbrietzen town hall.
A forest fire also broke out just a few kilometers away on Sunday, who quickly endangered the town of Beelitz. Here, too, residents had to be evacuated. Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) compared the situation with the fires in late summer 2018 – but the current situation has a higher risk potential, he said.
In 2018, around 400 hectares of forest were destroyed in a forest fire in Treuenbrietzen. Flames raged in the forest southwest of Berlin for several days. Due to the major fire, more than 500 people had to leave the villages of Frohnsdorf, Klausdorf and Tiefenbrunnen – on Sunday the villages were evacuated again.
Broadcast: rbb24 Brandenburg aktuell, June 20th, 2022, 7.30 p.m