Fires – Hanover – 90 emergency services support forest fires – panorama
Hanover (dpa / lni) – 90 emergency services from Lower Saxony are currently helping to fight forest fires in Saxon Switzerland and in Berlin-Grunewald. The forces from Lower Saxony are expected to be there by the end of the week, the Ministry of the Interior in Hanover announced on Wednesday. According to this, 81 helpers went to Saxon Switzerland.
On the blasting site in Berlin-Grunewald, where the police stored 30 tons of old grenades, World War II bombs, ammunition and confiscated fireworks, there was a violent fire last Thursday night. The cause is not yet known. Numerous explosions could be heard. In the days that followed, isolated explosive devices went off.
In addition to the emergency services, Lower Saxony reportedly sent three extinguishing robots and drones to Berlin.
Interior Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) reiterated the call for the establishment of an aircraft squadron in Europe with four bases. “We must not fall into lethargy again as soon as the last fires have been extinguished in late summer,” warned Pistorius. There is already no end to a fire season in the US.
The interior minister calls for tougher penalties for arson – whether intentional or negligent. “Because against the background of the current developments due to change, we need a corresponding awareness among the population that a discarded cigarette or an unauthorized campfire can lead to devastating fires, to deadly dangers and the destruction of huge areas of vegetation.”
According to the German Weather Service (DWD), the risk of forest fires will rise to the highest level in some Lower Saxony in the coming days. Several eastern German states are also affected.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:220810-99-337562/2