Forest fires: how to behave correctly?
For parts of Saxony, the highest forest fire level was already in effect. What does that mean for forest visitors, what is allowed and what is not? An overview.
4 Min.
– In some places the risk is shown directly. The five is the highest level of danger.
© dpa/Matthias Leg
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What causes the great risk of forest fires?
“A very low level of humidity at high temperatures and a vegetation that is beginning now,” explains Rainer Städing from the Association of German Foresters. The fresh vegetation begins to wither and dry up. Often all that is needed is a spark or a piece of embers.
What is the main reason for fires?
According to Städing, most forest fires are caused by people – not primarily by intentionally lighting the fire, but by careless behavior such as the carelessly discarded cigarette butt, also from the car. The cigarette glows in the wind. If it then falls into a dry embankment at the edge of a forest, it starts to burn.
In 2020, the cause of more than half of the 1,360 fires reported remained unclear. The most common causes of forest fires were negligence (309 times) and intent (253 times). In only 32 cases are natural factors a trigger, such as a lightning strike.
Can broken glass start a forest fire?
No, says Ulrich Cimolino, chairman of the forest fire working group at the German Fire Brigade Association. Even under ideal conditions, this could not be proven in experiments. The required ignition temperature was never reached. However, it is possible that a clear plastic or glass bottle full of clear liquid can start a fire. However, Cimolino rates the risk as low: “The bottle has to be full and the sunlight has to shine through at a certain angle for a certain time.”
Can my car cause a forest fire?
Yes. With its hot exhaust system, a car can set fire to ground cover very easily. For example, the catalyst can heat up to several hundred degrees. If you park such a hot car on dry grass or dry forest floor, it can start a fire.
What do I do if I notice a forest fire?
“It’s better to call the fire brigade more often than not enough,” says Ulrich Cimolino. If you report a forest fire in good faith, you will not receive a bill or notification, even if there is no fire. Precise location information is important. But forest visitors often cannot explain exactly where they are, says forester Rainer Städing. The “Help in the forest” app, for example, shows the nearest rescue point, and the reference code can help rescue workers with their orientation.
Should I extinguish small incipient fires myself?
“First call the fire brigade, then extinguish it yourself,” says Cimolino. If you don’t have water, you take branches with leaves and try to smother the fire, or trample it down with sturdy shoes. If the flames or the area are too large, it is better to get to safety.
How do I behave properly in the forest now?
In the pine forests in northern and north-eastern Saxony that are most at risk of forest fires, it is recommended to avoid these forest areas for your own safety if there is a high or very high risk of forest fires (levels 4 and 5). If a hike nevertheless leads through the forest, the main paths should not be left.
Working with open fires in the forest is prohibited in Saxony all year round, regardless of the forest fire danger level. This means that smoking, barbecuing, lighting campfires or using sky lanterns are generally prohibited. Violations constitute administrative offenses and will be punished with fines by the lower forest authorities of the districts and district-free cities.
In addition, open fires may not be lit in the forest up to a distance of 100 meters. Exceptions can be approved by the competent lower forest authorities.
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Driving on forest roads with motor vehicles is prohibited all year round. The access roads to the forest areas are generally not to be blocked with vehicles, since the forest paths are rescue routes and are used for timber removal.
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