The Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb) has warned of the extreme danger of forest and vegetation fires.
“The major fire in Gummersbach and the moor fire in Emsland show how quickly, even in the spring, even the smallest beginnings can develop into a highly precarious situation within a short period of time,” said vfdb President, Dirk Aschenbrenner.
He adds, “We still remember the devastating fires last year with horror. That's why the first major fires this year must be a clear warning to us."
Concepts of new technologies
Responsible authorities to use the existing concepts of new technologies for combating vegetation
"A tiny flying spark is enough to set large areas on fire," said Dirk Aschenbrenner. At the same time, he pointed out that the danger would not decrease in the coming days given the weather forecasts.
“The fires that have now broken out do not bode well for the coming summer,” fears Dirk Aschenbrenner, the vfdb President.
He reiterated his appeal to the responsible authorities to use the existing concepts of new technologies for combating vegetation fires when equipping the fire departments.
Emergency services
According to statistics, forest areas burn around 1,000 times a year in Germany. In most cases, according to Aschenbrenner, the blame lies with human recklessness. The topic also shows the great need for research in this area.
“Just like the Global Fire Monitoring Center in Freiburg im Breisgau, the only European research center, and the German Aerospace Center, we are dealing with the problem,” said Dirk Aschenbrenner, the President of the expert network for protection, rescue and security.
He expressly thanked the emergency services who worked tirelessly to put out the fires and prevent anything worse from happening.