Giant forest fire near berlin
Because of a huge forest fire about 50 kilometers from the city limits of berlin, about 600 people have had to leave their brandenburg villages. Three places in an area south of potsdam were evacuated.
On thursday evening already burned a flat as roughly as 400 football fields. The roughest spot on fire is one kilometer wide and three kilometers long, according to the emergency services. Besides hours more places in flames, said a spokesman for the brandenburg police department west.
The fire, estimated at 300 hectares, is sometimes only 100 meters away from places, he said. People who had to leave their homes because of the fire should only take the most important things with them, such as papers or medication, said the emergency response office of the city of treuenbrietzen (potsdam-mittelmark district). They should first be housed in the city hall there.
The authorities asked "the population in the villages of tiefenbrunnen and klausdorf to leave their houses and follow the instructions of the local forces". People should also get out of their homes in frohnsdorf, police spokesman explained. Whether other locations could be added in the course of the evening and night, he could not yet say.
Residents in the area have also been asked to keep windows and doors closed because of the smoke that is being produced. The smoke owl could be seen ten kilometers away, said the spokesman. The fire department tries to get the fire under control. The weather has not helped so far. "It would be okay if it rained."
The fire, which initially covered five hectares, spread quickly in the afternoon. Because the soil is contaminated with ammunition, the loosening work is particularly difficult. The fire department was on the scene with 600 emergency personnel, losch helicopters were also used. Around 60 police officers secured the affected locations.
Firefighters in the berlin metropolitan area also sent out a warning this evening about the effects of the brandenburg fires. In the southeast of the capital – initially mainly in treptow, kopenick and muggelheim – there was smoke in the air. "Likewise occurring ash rain is possible."
