Kranzbergkogel forest fire remains unextinguished

The forest fire at the Kranzbergkogel mountain west of Schneizlreuth in the Berchtesgadener Land district has not yet been extinguished, BR reported. More than 100 emergency workers are keeping the fire under control, but it remains unclear how long the operation will take. The large-scale response will continue on Thursday.

The ground fire, including smouldering areas in the forest floor, covers about 1,000 square metres and has not spread further, a police spokesperson told BR. However, the extent of the fire is difficult to assess because it is a ground fire in wooded terrain.

The Berchtesgadener Land district office said the fire had neither spread significantly nor been substantially contained. About 0.5 hectares of protective forest belonging to the Bavarian State Forests are affected, the Bavarian Economics Ministry said.

“These developments show how serious the risk of forest fires has become. Drought and heat are putting pressure on our forests,” Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger of the Free Voters said. He urged everyone visiting forests to exercise particular caution.

Firefighting will resume on Thursday with a similar number of emergency workers. Some 10,000 litres of water are already available on the mountain, with another 7,000 litres in the valley. Police helicopters will collect some of the water and drop it over the fire.

Firefighters, the Technical Relief Agency, the Red Cross, mountain rescuers and police are also tackling the fire from two sides on the ground. Several hundred metres of hose have been laid through the steep and difficult-to-access mountain forest.

The fire was reported at about 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday. A firefighting drone confirmed the blaze.