Risk of forest fires: a call for vigilance and guidance on how to behave

Due to the ongoing drought and the associated risk of forest fires, the Waldeck-Frankenberg district is appealing to the public. To protect the local natural environment, forests and fields, the district is asking people to observe various safety measures.

An overview of key preventive measures:

• No open fires: Open fires of any kind should be avoided. This includes campfires and barbecues. Where possible, this also applies to designated barbecue areas, as uncontrolled flying sparks pose a huge risk.
• Strict smoking ban: There is a total ban on smoking in the woods. Even carelessly discarding cigarette ends that you think are out can immediately set dry ground alight.
• No litter in the countryside: Empty glass bottles and other rubbish should be taken home and disposed of properly, because: Shards of glass can act like a magnifying glass.
• Stay on the paths: When out in the countryside, you should only use marked paths to protect the extremely dry vegetation.
• Take care when parking: Motor vehicles should only be parked in officially designated parking spaces. Parking on grassed areas must be avoided at all costs, as hot vehicle parts such as catalytic converters or exhaust systems can set dry grass alight in the blink of an eye.
• Keep access routes clear: Access routes to fields and woods must be kept clear at all times. Blocked paths severely hinder the emergency services’ ability to reach the scene in an emergency.
• No weed burning: Under these weather conditions, the thermal destruction of weeds by burning should be avoided at all costs.
  
  
  

What to do in an emergency:

If, despite all precautions, a forest fire or wildfire were to break out, every second counts. The following important guidelines apply to anyone reporting a fire to the control centre:

• Stay at the scene and give directions: Once you have made the emergency call (112), you should remain at the scene at a safe distance. This will enable you to give directions to the arriving emergency services directly and describe the quickest route to the source of the fire.
• Using forest rescue points: Look out for the green signs with a white cross. These are marked with the letters ‘KB-’ followed by a three-digit number. When making an emergency call, you should tell the control centre the exact name of this rescue point so that the emergency services can pinpoint its location.
• Leave traffic cones where they are: Traffic cones lying at the sides of country lanes and forest tracks must not be moved or repositioned under any circumstances. They have been deliberately placed there by the first responders to act as signposts for following fire engines and ambulances.

Keywords:

Specialist rescue service, fire protection and disaster control