Germany: a fire leads to the evacuation of nearly 700 people near Berlin

Europe 1 with AFP 4:25 p.m., June 19, 2022

German authorities announced on Sunday that they had evacuated nearly 700 people near Berlin due to a fire extending over nearly 100 hectares, while an exceptional heat wave affected the country and part of Europe.

"Three districts" of the town of Treuenbrietzen, in the Brandenburg region surrounding the German capital, were evacuated on Sunday, "about 700 people", a spokesman for the district of Potsdam-Mittelmark told AFP.

The fire, which broke out on Friday evening, ravages according to local media around a hundred hectares in this wooded and rural region, around the municipality of Treuenbrietzen, where nearly 8,000 inhabitants live.

"We are asking all residents to leave their homes (...) this is NOT an exercise," said the town hall of the city on Twitter to residents of the neighborhood.

EVAKUIERUNG KLAUSDORF

Wir fordern alle Einwohner von KLAUSDORF auf, geordnet und umgehend ihre Häuser zu verlassen.

Notunterkunft ist die Stadthalle Treuenbrietzen!

Das ist KEINE Übung!

— Stadt Treuenbrietzen (@Treuenbrietzen1) June 19, 2022

The army called in as reinforcements

Emergency accommodation has been set up in the town hall building.

In 2018, the town had already experienced a fire which destroyed 400 hectares of forest.

The wind, which is particularly strong, accelerates the spread of the fire, and makes the work of the intervention forces difficult, according to the authorities, who speak of a "rapid" evolution of the fire. 

>>

- MAP - Which regions are most affected by forest fires?

Several federal police and army helicopters are providing aerial support to the firefighters, drawing water from a lake near the area, according to images released by the Bundeswehr.

This fire comes as part of Germany, and Europe, has been facing a heat episode of exceptional magnitude for several days.