Danger of forest fires in Hochtaunus: Fire brigade fights the flames!

Danger of forest fires in Hochtaunus: Fire brigade fights the flames!

Another forest fire in the Hochtaunus district has kept the emergency services on tenterhooks. The fire brigade and police are already busy with the second major series of fires in just a few months. On June 12, 2023, a major fire broke out on the Altkönig, which shook the region for several days. Around four hectares of forest went up in flames, prompting a massive operation that lasted until June 15. Firefighters and police worked tirelessly in the days following the outbreak to fight the fire and prevent any streaks of bad luck. A total of 60,000 cubic meters of extinguishing water was distributed to extinguish the flames and prevent them from spreading. Particularly explosive: The fire brigade came across illegal fireplaces, which indicates possible arson. The criminal police have already picked up this lead and assume that the fire was deliberately caused.

The temperatures on the ground reached an impressive 300 degrees, while the heat in the stones reached up to 450 degrees. This made the extinguishing work not only time-consuming, but also dangerous for the more than 100 emergency services who remained on site on June 14th. Five firefighters suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation and circulatory problems. This means that fire protection measures in the Frankfurt and Hochtaunus region have once again become more urgent, as such incidents have occurred again and again in the recent past.

Fire protection in the region

The local fire department has prepared for these fires. Among other things, they use circular sprinklers and thermal imaging cameras to monitor the affected areas. A police helicopter was also deployed to support the fire-fighting work from the air. However, the problem remains: The L3004 road between Oberursel and Sandplacken had to be closed while the fire was being extinguished, which made it more difficult for additional emergency services to get there.

The renewed forest fires shed light on a larger problem in the region. Statistics and reports continue to show that arson is the cause of many of these incidents. Onlookers and careless citizens pose an additional danger here. As hessenschau.de reports, cooperation between the fire brigade and police is crucial in identifying potential arsonists and ensuring the safety of forest areas.

We can only hope that the heroic emergency services in Hochtaunus continue to show good skills in fighting the fire and that the region is spared from further fires.