Measures: Greens: 'It is catastrophic' – more action against forest fires

Katharina Dröge, the leader of the Green Party's parliamentary group, is demanding increased support for firefighters in light of the severe wildfires. She emphasized the need for robust financial and personnel resources to enable firefighters to perform their duties effectively.

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It is catastrophic and also somewhat unbelievable that we as a society cannot manage to finally find the resolve to do more to prevent this from happening more often in the future.

Dröge highlighted the importance of advanced technology, such as drones, for early fire detection. She also proposed a national fire management strategy that integrates risk analysis, prevention, and operational preparedness. Furthermore, she called for forest restructuring to promote mixed forests and the rewetting of moors, alongside better public education on fire prevention, as many fires are human-caused.

"It is catastrophic and also somewhat unbelievable that we as a society cannot manage to finally find the resolve to do more to prevent this from happening more often in the future," Dröge stated in a Deutschlandfunk interview. She expressed bewilderment at the lack of determination to address the issue, linking it directly to the need for combating the climate crisis.

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And that means combating the climate crisis. I don't understand why there isn't more determination.

Dröge also pointed to the value of European cooperation, noting that Southern European countries possess extensive experience with wildfires. She believes that sharing this knowledge and implementing new technologies for early detection are crucial steps in mitigating the impact of future fire events.

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Our Southern European neighbors have, brutally, more experience with forest fires.