Brand risk - 224 forest fires in Lower Saxony last year
In Lower Saxony, 224 forest fires were detected last year. Approximately half of the fire alarms came from the forest-rich Heideregion, as the Agriculture Ministry announced. Affected was an area of about 19 hectares, which is equivalent to approximately 27 soccer fields.
Forest fires mainly occurred in coniferous forests, as stated. These forests are easier to burn due to their resin content.
"Forest fire areas manageable"
"In total, the forest fire situation in 2023 was at a normal level," said a ministry spokeswoman. "Both the number of forest fires and the individual fire areas remained on average below 1,000 square meters."
To prevent further forest fires, the state of Lower Saxony, according to the government, advocates a forest conversion towards less fire-prone broadleaf-mixed forests. In the particularly endangered region in Eastern Lower Saxony, the state also operates an automated, camera-assisted forest fire surveillance to detect fires quickly.
The Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMELV) supported the efforts to combat forest fires in Lower Saxony. The high risk of brand danger during dry weather in Hannover necessitated a heightened awareness and preparedness. The automated forest fire surveillance in Eastern Lower Saxony, operated by the state, proved instrumental in quickly identifying any potential forest fires. The conversion of forests in Lower Saxony towards less fire-prone broadleaf-mixed forests, as advocated by the state, could further mitigate the risk of future forest fires.
