Bavaria battles embers after forest fires; high risk remains

Firefighters in Bavaria are engaged in ongoing efforts to combat the aftermath of forest fires, particularly focusing on extinguishing stubborn embers in the Chiemgau Alps. While the main blaze has been suppressed, the challenge now lies in meticulously clearing out remaining hot spots, often requiring manual labor in difficult terrain.

In the Upper Palatinate, a fire near Freudenberg that consumed approximately 5.7 hectares of forest is now under control. However, the operation is not entirely complete, and seven emergency responders sustained injuries, though none required hospitalization. The response involved around 200 personnel from various services, including the fire department, Bavarian Red Cross, mountain rescue, and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW). The difficult terrain, coupled with risks from falling trees and embers, has complicated the extinguishing efforts.

Meanwhile, in the Chiemgau Alps, near the Lackenbergwand, renewed ember activity and occasional flames were observed overnight. A drone equipped with thermal imaging technology has been deployed, showing a reduction in heat sources, indicating progress. Responders are working diligently to extinguish each ember individually in the steep landscape, anticipating a prolonged operation. Despite recent rainfall, it has proven ineffective against the deep-seated embers.

The region remains on high alert for further fires, with the German Weather Service warning of a level 4 risk due to persistent heat and dryness. The danger is particularly acute in central and northern Bavaria on Tuesday and Wednesday. A smaller forest fire in Marquartstein was contained on Friday and is under close observation. The initial fire in the Chiemgau Alps was discovered on Wednesday evening, and a state of disaster was declared in the municipality of Unterwössen before the main fire was considered extinguished on Friday, leaving only the embers to manage.