Win fans German wildfire which spreads to 388 hectares

A spokesman for the Mecklenburg Lake District said the forest fire in Müritz National Park in northeastern Germany has spread to about 388 hectares and about 370 firefighters, police officers, forest workers and soldiers are currently deployed.

The fire spread because there was no rain so far, the spokesman said on Saturday. He said that winds blowing from the west were fanning the flames even more, and due to the wind, the fire could spread to the east and southeast over the weekend.

The fire was reported on Monday. Many villages were evacuated many times. Firefighting efforts were complicated by a former military training ground located in the fire zone being contaminated with unexploded ordnance.

Helicopters belonging to the armed forces or the Bundeswehr are expected to assist in firefighting efforts again by the afternoon, provided there is no storm.

Firefighters are fighting the fire in the eastern part of the fire zone, where unexploded ordnance is said to be absent and therefore accessible to emergency personnel. Emergency teams are rotated at regular intervals.

Forest workers are helping to keep access roads open. Holidaymakers are advised to continue to give ample space to the region.