Europe 1 with AFP 3:36 p.m., August 04, 2022

An explosion, which occurred in an ammunition depot, caused a forest fire in Germany, near Berlin.

Firefighters are struggling to control the situation as the flames spread over an area of ​​15,000 square meters.

In July, a vast fire had already ravaged 850 hectares south of Brandenburg. 

A large forest fire was underway Thursday morning in Berlin following an explosion at a police ammunition depot, firefighters said, stressing that they were struggling to control the situation.

“A fire is in progress in the Grunewald forest”, west of the city, and “there are explosions”, underlined the firefighters.

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"The fire spread over an area of ​​15,000 square meters, first at a police ammunition and explosives deposit and defusing site, then in the surrounding forest," they added.

"The situation is confused, the fire continues to spread uncontrolled in the forest," a spokesman told AFP.

The drought-affected region of Berlin

The fire brigade could not intervene immediately due to the danger of an explosion.

They positioned themselves in a perimeter established one kilometer from the ammunition depot, where several explosions continued to sound.

The Berlin region is the victim of a particularly pronounced drought.

A vast forest fire had already ravaged in July more than 850 hectares south of Brandenburg, the region surrounding the capital.

A little further south, a fire in the "Bohemian Switzerland" national park, which started in the Czech Republic before spreading to Germany, is still mobilizing firefighters.