In the Gohrischheide region on the border between Saxony and Brandenburg, a total of approximately 2,100 hectares are burning. This was revealed by the analysis of current satellite images and further situation assessment, as the Meißen District Office announced on Saturday evening.
Emergency services have been battling the flames in the protected landscape area since Tuesday. The situation on the Saxon side, in particular, remains tense. Firefighters are repeatedly having to battle blazes. The situation remains precarious in the village of Jacobsthal, where volunteers have used bulldozers and other heavy equipment to create additional protective strips around residential buildings. The village of Jacobsthal Bahnhof, like several other villages in Saxony, has been evacuated.
On Sunday, according to Saxon authorities, more than 550 firefighters, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief, the German Armed Forces, the police, and other organizations were deployed to fight the fire with up to 140 vehicles. The German Armed Forces and the Federal Police provided support with firefighting helicopters, and the police with water cannons.
The wind, which repeatedly picks up or shifts, is causing problems for the rescuers. Firefighting efforts are also complicated by the munitions contamination in the area, which was formerly a military training area. For safety reasons, some fires can only be extinguished from vehicles and not by ground troops.
On the Brandenburg side of the Gohrischheide, however, the situation is largely calm. The fire has so far been prevented from spreading. In another fire area near Gösselsdorf in the Thuringian district of Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, firefighters have been able to prevent it from spreading for the time being.
From breaking news to thought-provoking opinion pieces, our newsletter keeps you informed & engaged.
