Heat alarm in Brandenburg: Risk of forest fire at level 4!

Heat alarm in Brandenburg: Risk of forest fire at level 4!

Berlin, Deutschland - The German Weather Service (DWD) awaits summer weather with high temperatures in Berlin and Brandenburg. This goes hand in hand with an increasing risk of forest fire, especially in Brandenburg. Günther Fischer, a spokesman for the DWD, announced temperatures up to 27 degrees Celsius in southern Brandenburg for Friday, while up to 23 degrees Celsius are to be reached in the Uckermark. In Berlin can be expected to be 25 degrees.

The weather situation is described as a "omega weather situation", which introduces warm to hot air from southwestern Europe and Africa. Five counties in Brandenburg are particularly affected, which have the second highest danger level 4 (high danger): Havelland, Potsdam-Mittelmark, Märkisch-Oderland, Oder-Spree and Spree-Neißen. In other regions of the Brandenburg landscape, danger level 3 (medium danger) mainly applies, while the Uckermark with danger level 2 (low danger) gets away relatively lightly. By the end of May 2023, 125 forest fires were already reported in Brandenburg, which makes the region the most at risk of forest fire in Germany.

weather forecast and the risk of forest fire

On Saturday the hot weather will continue, with maximum values ​​between 26 and 31 degrees. It gets a little cooler in the night of Sunday, but the temperature only drops to up to twelve degrees Celsius. The weather will be Cloudier until Sunday, with thunderstorms and strong showers, occasionally heavy rain, are expected.

Current data illustrates the worrying risk of forest fire in Brandenburg, which is favored by the number of forests, low precipitation and structural conditions. The number of forest fires in recent years, especially in 2018 and 2019, has increased due to extreme weather conditions. Brandenburg has established itself as a hot spot for forest fires due to its extensive pine forests.

The causes and challenges

forest fires generally have a subordinate role in Germany, but they are of great relevance in Brandenburg and other continental regions. Negligent action and arson are responsible for many fires. The risk of forest fire is displayed by the index, which shows the danger levels on a 5-stage scale. Historical data show that the number of forest fires significantly decreased by 2017, while weather conditions are still considered crucial for their occurrence.

In order to effectively counter this topic, numerous measures for prevention are required. Investments in the infrastructure for forest fire prevention, such as the renewal of fire guard towers through digital sensors or the improvement of fire monitoring, are necessary to speed up the reaction to possible fires. Classic pension measures are also continued.