Germany: Wildfire reignites in Gohrischheide, hampered by unexploded ordnance

A wildfire has reignited in the Gohrischheide nature reserve, an area notorious for unexploded ordnance, posing significant challenges for firefighters. The blaze, which broke out again nearly a year after a devastating fire in the same location, has already spread to over 19 hectares.

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Active firefighting by our comrades is not possible again due to the ammunition load.

Local officials report that the fire is spreading quickly, but thankfully, nearby villages are not currently in danger. However, the presence of old ammunition buried in the ground makes direct firefighting efforts extremely difficult and dangerous. Firefighters are forced to monitor the fire's spread from munition-free paths, unable to directly combat the flames.

Compounding the difficulties, extreme heat and dryness are currently gripping Saxony, creating tinderbox conditions. A reconnaissance drone used to assess the fire's extent was temporarily grounded due to the high temperatures, further complicating efforts to gauge the true scale of the blaze. Around 100 emergency personnel from Saxony and Brandenburg are on site, with more being called in, and an armored firefighting vehicle is en route.

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the situation of repeated forest fires in the Gohrischheide is 'very unsatisfactory'.

This recurring problem has left local authorities deeply unsatisfied. Zeithain's mayor, Mirko Pollmer, expressed frustration that firefighters cannot actively engage the fire due to the lack of protected equipment. The Gohrischheide experienced its largest wildfire in decades last year, burning over 2,400 hectares, and was determined to have been caused by the self-ignition of buried ammunition.

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because we do not have protected technology.