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Red alert: Fire brigade asks farmers for help against wildfires!
Heroldsbach fire department calls on farmers to support against wildfires in the Forchheim district. Water barrels urgently needed.
Red alert: Fire brigade asks farmers for help against wildfires!
The heat wave has Bavaria firmly under control, and with it the risk of wildfires is increasing. In the Forchheim district in particular, the fire department is faced with challenges that it can only overcome together with agriculture. Johannes Eisen, the commander of the Heroldsbach/Thurn fire department, has therefore launched an unusual appeal to local farmers.
On June 10, 2025, he asked farmers to come forward if they have manure or water barrels that can be used to fight fires. This initiative comes from the district fire inspection, which has created a concept to effectively support the fire departments during the summer months. The aim is to create an “information pool” that can be activated quickly in an emergency and thus makes optimal use of resources. Farmers are asked to contact Johannes Eisen by June 15, 2025 to arrange an appointment to exchange important information.
Fire brigade alert
Similar scenarios are also emerging in other parts of Germany. The current drought is causing worrying conditions not only in Bavaria, but also in North Rhine-Westphalia, where wildfires are increasing. As [Ruhr24](https://www.ruhr24.de/nrw/trockenheit-sorge-viele-flaechenbraende-sind-raucher- Schuld-13097839.html) reports, the fire departments there are on alert. Suspicions that carelessly discarded cigarettes could be the cause of some of these fires have prompted the fire department to take preventative measures.
Particular fires in Bochum and Herdecke show how quickly surfaces can ignite. These events increase awareness of the risk of fires in dry regions. Climate change is not only bringing with it an increase in temperatures, but also changes in the deployment patterns of fire departments. They have to fight fires outdoors more and more often, while indoor operations are becoming rarer, as Tagesschau notes.
The role of agriculture
Supporting farmers will become increasingly important in the coming summers. Due to rising temperatures, small streams often cannot carry enough water, which makes extinguishing efforts much more difficult. Firefighters need up to 1,000 liters of water per minute to work effectively. New strategies for procuring water, for example through long hose lines or shuttle transport, are necessary to meet the challenges.
In the past, many farmers have shown that they are willing to help their fire brigade. This tradition should continue in the future, because when the summer heat leads to extreme weather, everyone must work together to avert fires and ensure the safety of citizens.
A call for personal responsibility among citizens is also being made. The fire brigade is asking the public to take action themselves in the event of minor problems so as not to unnecessarily strain the resources of the emergency services.
The pressure to deal with the increase in forest and wildfires is growing, and the fire department is being asked to adapt its strategies. A joint commitment between agriculture and the fire service is essential in order to be prepared to face the burning challenges of the future.