Wildfire near German highway extinguished, road reopened

A wildfire that erupted near the A61 highway in Germany has been successfully extinguished, allowing the road to be reopened to traffic. The blaze began when burning components from a burst truck tire fell into an adjacent forest.

Firefighters tackled the blaze, which affected an area of approximately 50,000 square meters. Initial findings suggest the tire's internal carcass caught fire after bursting, separating from the rim and scattering burning pieces into the woods. The operation presented challenges for emergency services, as no local water sources were available, necessitating water to be supplied entirely by fire engines.

These vehicles had to shuttle back and forth between the fire site and the Schifferstadt exit to refuel. The A61 highway was fully closed in the direction of Hockenheim between the Schifferstadt junctions and the Speyer interchange due to the firefighting efforts and significant smoke.