Red alarm level: Fire brigade asks farmers for help against surface fires!

Red alarm level: Fire brigade asks farmers for help against surface fires!

The heat wave has a firm grip on Bavaria, and with it the risk of surface fires also increases. The fire brigade is particularly confronted with challenges in the Forchheim district, which can only manage them together with agriculture. Johannes Eisen, the commander of the Heroldsbach/Thurn fire brigade, therefore started an unusual call to the domestic farmers.

On June 10, 2025, he asked farmers to report if they have manure or water barrels that can be used to combat fires. This initiative comes from the district fire inspection, which created a concept for the effective support of the fire brigades during the summer months. The aim is to create an “info pool” that can be activated quickly in an emergency and thus optimally uses the resources. The farmers are called to report to Johannes Eisen by June 15, 2025 to make an appointment for the exchange of important information.

alarm willingness to fire brigades

Similar scenarios are also emerging in other parts of Germany. The current drought not only ensures worrying conditions in Bavaria, but also in North Rhine-Westphalia, where surface fires increase. As reports Ruhr24, the fire brigades are on alert. The fire brigade caused suspicion that carelessly thrown away cigarettes could be the cause of some of these fires.

Special 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 not only brings with it an increase in temperatures, but also changes in the operational patterns of the fire brigades. They have to struggle against fires outdoors more and more often, while operations are less common indoors (https://www.tagesschau.de/wissen/klimawandel-berufe-feuerwehr-100.html).

The role of agriculture

The support of farmers is becoming increasingly important in the coming summers. Due to the increasing temperatures, small streams often cannot lead enough water, which makes the extinguishing measures considerably more difficult. Firefighters need up to 1,000 liters of water per minute to be able to work effectively. New strategies for water procurement, such as long hose lines or pendulum traffic, are necessary to meet the challenges.

A call for personal responsibility among the citizens will also be loud. With the request to the population, the fire brigade is aimed at becoming active in the event of minor problems so as not to unnecessarily burden the resources of the emergency services.

The pressure to deal with the increase in forest and surface fires grows, and the fire brigade is required to adapt its strategies. A common commitment between agriculture and the fire brigade is essential to face the burning challenges of the future.