According to forest fire expert Philipp Haase, the major fire in the Elbe-Elster district in Brandenburg differs from other fires in the state. “We’re talking about a tree crown fire, the fire runs from crown to crown and finds a lot of combustible material like needles,” said the deputy forest fire protection officer on Tuesday of the German Press Agency.
The fire burns over the tops of the trees at a height of up to 25 meters. The wind speeds are also higher there than on the forest floor, and the flames could spread faster, said Haase. For the area, this means a “total loss” of trees. This distinguishes the current large forest fire from other fires in Brandenburg.
The forest and wildfire had spread south of Rehfeld from 100 to 850 hectares within a few hours. The weather is worrying the crews. The wind is expected to pick up again around midday, allowing the fire to spread more quickly, it said. (dpa)
