Wildfire on German military training ground likely to burn for days
Firefighters were unable to approach the source of the fire for fear of unexploded ordnance, Rico Walentin said. The fire was spreading, and smoke from it was increasing, he said.
- Europe
- DPA
- Published Date: 03:23 | 04 June 2023
- Modified Date: 03:37 | 04 June 2023
A wildfire on a former military training ground in the German state of Brandenburg is likely to burn for days, the fire chief in the town of Jüterbog said on Sunday.
Firefighters were unable to approach the source of the fire for fear of unexploded ordnance, Rico Walentin said. The fire was spreading, and smoke from it was increasing, he said.
The area affected by the fire increased to around 150 hectares over the course of Saturday, with not all the area burnt out.
"The fire is too far away to be reached with our water cannons," Walentin said. The fire has been contained along two sides by wetting the ground alongside, and the area is being monitored with the use of drones.
The Jüterbog fire service was called out to a separate series of fires in the area, with around four hectares affected. Walentin said he suspected arson, as fires appeared to have been set repeatedly on both sides of a cycle path.