Heat wave and risk of forest fires: fire departments in constant operation!

Heat wave and risk of forest fires: fire departments in constant operation!

Last Sunday, June 21, 2025, there were midsummer temperatures in the Aschaffenburg district and the highest forest fire level was 5 out of 5. This critical situation led to an enormous commitment by the fire departments in the region. As kfv-ab.de reports, extreme dryness and wind were the main causes of the tense conditions.

The Feldkahl-Rottenberg fire department was alerted at 8:25 a.m. when a fallen tree blocked a road. Only a short time later, at 9:47 a.m., the Jakobsthal and Heigenbrücken fire departments responded to a traffic accident. The Schimborn fire department was also called at 9:56 a.m. due to a wasp nest, as there was an acute risk of allergy. The morning was quite eventful and the emergency services had their hands full.

A race against time

At 11:20 a.m., the Stockstadt fire department was called to a medical emergency, while the Kahl fire department secured the landing of a rescue helicopter just six minutes later. The Kleinkahl fire department also had to deal with another medical emergency at 11:54 a.m. The high number of missions shows how important the fire brigades are under these difficult conditions.

But the helpers' activities were not limited to medical emergencies. A forest fire was reported in Haibach at 12:21 p.m., which highlighted the worrying situation of the forest fire risk. As fw-netphen.de summarizes, the risk of forest fires is currently very high. Strong gusts of wind can accelerate fires enormously, further exacerbating the situation.

Attentive citizens asked

“We need the help of the citizens,” says district fire chief Bernd Schneider, who also warns of the challenges posed by drought and pests such as bark beetles. Important tips for preventing fires include not throwing cigarettes or other burning objects into nature. Grilling in the forest is also strictly prohibited due to the danger. If there is a fire or smoke, everyone should call 112 immediately.

The Federal Environment Agency also points out that the risk of forest fires is constantly increasing, particularly as a result of global warming. The index value on the 5-level scale now indicates an extremely increased risk. A look at the last few years shows that forest fires in Germany increased sharply, especially in 2018 and 2019, favored by extreme heat and drought.

A big thank you

Particular emphasis is placed on the cooperation and coordination of the emergency services. At 2:25 p.m., the Haibach fire department reported a serious traffic accident between a motorcycle and a car, while the Stockstadt fire department responded to a fire at a residential building that was caused by a grill. It turns out again and again that the commitment of firefighters is indispensable.

At 6:55 p.m., the Weibersbrunn volunteer fire department was called because of a triggered fire alarm system - a false alarm. The Wasserlos fire department did not remain idle in the evening either: an operation to deal with a suspected helpless person was able to be canceled after a short time because the door was already open. All the forces deployed and the employees of the Integrated Control Center in Untermain deserve a big thank you for their tireless work, especially on such a challenging day.