A drone shot shows charred trees from a forest fire in an area near Jüterbog that was contaminated with ammunition Photo: district of Teltow Fläming/dpa
From the BZ editorial team
The fire brigades have been fighting the fire in a forest near Jüterbog (Teltow-Fläming) since the end of May. The situation relaxed on Sunday, the operations management lifted the major damage situation.
But the risk of forest fires is still very high in Berlin. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), it is favored by the drought.
It alone doesn’t start a fire. However, combined with high temperatures, wind and low humidity, it can increase the risk of forest fires!
At some stations, the upper soil layers are as dry as they usually are in August, says DWD meteorologist Andreas Brömser.
It will probably stay that way for the time being. Across the board, sustained rain would be necessary for the soil to be sustainably moistened. But according to the DWD, this is not foreseeable.
A high amount of precipitation accumulates during short periods of heavy rain. However, dry soil cannot absorb them quickly enough.
The effects of the drought have become more likely due to climate change, says Kirsten Thonicke from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Germany has been struggling with very dry periods for several years.
“Despite the plentiful rainfall at the end of this winter, we still lack a year’s worth of rainfall to make up for the deficit of recent years,” says the scientist.