- Wildfire advances towards Jüterbog: specialist remains hopeful
The wildfire close to Jüterbog hasn't shown signs of slowing down. As per the fire department's spokesperson, the fire has spread to approximately 67 hectares, an increase from the 51 hectares reported on Thursday evening. Two fire engines and a water-bombing helicopter are currently deployed to combat the flames. A team of 32 personnel is working tirelessly on the scene.
Brandenburg's forest fire protection officer, Raimund Engel, assures that there's no need for panic at the moment. He stated, in response to a query from the German Press Agency, "This fire isn't cause for alarm." There are no residential areas or infrastructure in the immediate vicinity.
Engel added that the fire could potentially spread up to the control lines. Control lines are large, accessible paths where firefighters can combat the flames. According to the fire department, the flames have yet to reach the firebreaks.
Engel expresses doubt that the fire will leap over these control lines. Wide strips of land often serve as control lines. At the narrower spots, every measure will be taken to prevent a leap. "I'm hopeful," said Engel.
Military ordnance in the ground poses challenges for firefighting efforts
The forest fire that erupted on the former military training ground near Jüterbog, Brandenburg, on Thursday at around 11:40 a.m. for unspecified reasons, was initially anticipated to spread by the incident commander of the fire department, Rico Walentin. Old military ordnance buried in the ground is making firefighting efforts more challenging. A water-bombing helicopter was already in operation on Thursday.
In 2021, a fire had engulfed about 700 hectares in the same region. Firefighters were on location for several days. Aircraft and helicopters were used to extinguish the fire from the air. There was also a fire in the same forest area in mid-August.
The wildfire's relentless advance towards the control lines is a concern. The fire's proximity to buried military ordnance adds complexity to the firefighting efforts.
