The forest fire began on Thursday night in the Grunewald forest, located between the German capital and Potsdam. This is stated in a message posted on Twitter on the page of the operational services of Berlin.
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Initially, the detonation occurred at a special site where the police store ammunition for subsequent disposal or destruction by a controlled explosion. Most often, unexploded and discovered shells from the war times are liquidated there. Also confiscated counterfeit fireworks are brought there.
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The forest massif caught fire as a result of one of these detonations. It is not yet known what exactly provoked it and what exactly exploded.
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“We are a kilometer away from the fire,” said Thomas Kirstein, a spokesman for the fire service. “There is a difficult situation there due to possible repeated explosions.” “The fire is spreading rapidly. Approaching the place of ignition is still life-threatening, loud explosions are still heard in the background,” he added. “We are coordinating actions with other departments and organizations. Drones are used to obtain information.”
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According to him, the fire area “is 1.5 hectares“, there is no threat to residential buildings, but residents of nearby areas are advised not to open windows and turn off air conditioners. Now the railway line is blocked, as well as the autobahn between Berlin and Potsdam.
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In the capital of Germany, dry and hot weather has been established in recent days, which complicates the fight against fire. During the day, the thermometers will rise to 35-37 degrees.
