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Red alert: Heroldsbach fire department calls farmers for help!
The risk of wildfires in Forchheim is increasing. Farmers are being called upon to provide support to help fire departments during the drought.
Red alert: Heroldsbach fire department calls farmers for help!
The summer months are known for their heat in the Forchheim region, but this year things could be particularly dicey. How in Franconia reported, the risk of wildfires is increasing noticeably. Johannes Eisen, the commander of the Heroldsbach/Thurn fire department, is therefore calling on farmers: “Please help us if you have liquid manure or water barrels that we can use to combat fire hazards.” The initiative comes from the district fire inspection, which is already working on a concept to effectively support the fire departments.
Such support may be more necessary than ever this year. Climate researchers are predicting extraordinary heat waves in Europe and the EU is warning of impending water shortages. Experts consider the drought that has affected Germany in recent months to be alarming. The German Weather Service (DWD) reports that the months from February to April 2025 were the driest period since 1931. March saw only a fraction of the usual rainfall - just 21 percent of the amount that has been typical for this month in recent decades.
Water availability in focus
The situation didn't get much better in May; Here too, the rainfall was only around 48 l/m², which is 68 percent of the usual amount. This persistent drought is having a fatal impact on agriculture and has already led to a problem for society as a whole.[^1] The drought stress is particularly noticeable in the northern and northeastern regions of Germany, where only 9 l/m² were measured in March. The drought monitor shows extreme to exceptional drought in the topsoil for the end of May, which also extends to the north of Bavaria.
The numbers speak for themselves: While Germany has a potential water supply of 176 billion cubic meters per year, the extreme weather requires a rethink. Public water supplies only use 3 percent of renewable water resources, and overall water withdrawals have fallen sharply - a sign that careful use of water is becoming increasingly important in everyday life.
Agriculture under pressure
Droughts not only have serious impacts on agriculture, but also put strain on entire ecosystems. Young plants and shallow-rooted crops are particularly vulnerable. A current report from the Deutschlandfunk notes that many farmers are forced to resort to artificial irrigation to save their crops. The situations are often accompanied by high transport costs, as the low water level in rivers such as the Rhine severely affects shipping.
In addition, there are alarm reports about lower groundwater levels, which must be seen as a long-term consequence of the drought. Experts emphasize that climate change continues to have a major impact on water availability and the pressure on agriculture will increase in the coming years.
The initiative to bring together agricultural support in the region could not only prevent wildfires from becoming uncontrollable, but also mitigate exacerbated water shortages with a collaborative approach. Johannes Eisen would like to obtain an overview of the water barrels available by June 15, 2025 and use this information to develop an information pool for rapid deployment.
It seems that the region is facing a major challenge and a good hand is needed - not just from the farmers, but from the entire community.