The forest fire that broke out near Jüterbog around a week and a half ago remains a challenge for the emergency services. The situation had “dramatized, which is why the major damage situation was declared,” said a spokesman for the operations management of the Teltow-Fläming district in the evening. First, the RBB had reported. According to the spokesman, the emergency services should receive support from the federal police and the armed forces on Saturday, then three helicopters should help to extinguish the flames.

In the event of a major disaster, there is an “oversized use of forces and resources,” said the spokesman. The size of the fire area now amounts to 718 hectares in the previous fire area. This includes areas that have already been burned as well as areas that are currently burning. But the following still applies: “Even by the new fire, no towns are threatened.” 10 hectares were newly added in an area in the direction of Frankenförde.

Wind fueled fires again

There are currently 100 emergency services and 18 fire engines on site, it said. Until now, the city of Jüterbog had been in charge of the operation, but now the district of Teltow-Fläming is responsible due to the major damage situation.

Actually, the firefighters had hoped for a relaxation these days. But on Friday, a freshening wind fanned the fire again. The head of the municipal regulatory office in Jüterbog, Christiane Lindner-Klopsch, explained that numerous extinguished areas were on fire again.

There has been a fire in the munitions-loaded area since May 31. The fire brigade cannot get to the source of the fire directly because of the risk of explosion on the former military training area.