Suche
Mein Konto
Heat wave in Offenbach: Thunderstorms and forest fires put fire brigade under pressure
Offenbach am Main is experiencing a heat wave and a thunderstorm-plagued evening. Fire brigade in constant use due to forest fires.
Heat wave in Offenbach: Thunderstorms and forest fires put fire brigade under pressure
The heat wave that is currently affecting Hesse has reached its peak. How op online reports, the German Weather Service (DWD) warns of “extreme” heat. In addition, a thunderstorm front is moving across the country, not sparing Frankfurt, Darmstadt and Fulda. Meteorologists are currently concerned about gusts of up to 80 km/h, heavy rain of up to 20 l/m² and even hail. In Kassel, the fire brigade is in constant use.
Special alert levels have been issued in the Limburg-Weilberg and Lahn-Dill districts, where there is a risk of falling trees and flooding. The heat warning remains in effect until the evening and the traffic lights are red in Offenbach, Darmstadt and Frankfurt. An outlier is the city of Marburg, which has the only green status in Hesse. Highs of up to 36.5 degrees, a record from 1992, are on the cards.
Particularly hot temperatures
On Wednesday afternoon, the DWD reported high temperatures in Hesse that were impressive: Darmstadt reached 35.7 degrees, followed by Frankfurt with 35.1 degrees. Michelstadt and Fulda-Horas were also in the hot zone with 35 degrees each. The possibility that temperatures in the Rhine-Main area will even rise above 40 degrees cannot be ruled out.
An alarming phenomenon is the forest fire in the Rheinhardswald, which has far-reaching consequences and has mobilized 219 firefighters to fight the flames. The fire site is near Holzhausen in Immenhausen and covers an area of 18,000 square meters. A police helicopter supports the fire department in extinguishing the fire.
Forest fires in Germany
The heat wave is not only affecting Hesse, forest fires and unpleasant weather conditions are also being recorded in other federal states. How focus.de reported, the highest value of the day was recently measured in Andernach in Rhineland-Palatinate with 39.3 degrees. Saxony-Anhalt, Bavaria and Thuringia are also affected, where evacuations have taken place and disaster alerts have even been issued due to forest fires.
In Saxony, a forest fire spread to 600 hectares, which made it necessary to evacuate the town of Heidehäuser with 100 affected people. Over 200 emergency services and a police helicopter also have to be active. Similar scenarios are taking place in other regions, while in Lower Saxony, unpleasant storms are causing flooded cellars and fallen trees.
Health risks from heat
The extreme heat also poses health risks. heatwarnings.de highlights that exposure on hot days poses a serious threat to human health. Although no official warnings have been issued yet, particularly sensitive people may suffer from the conditions. The DWD forecasts also indicate that the heat wave could last for a few more days.
The risk of health problems caused by the heat wave is high and should not be underestimated. The heat trend shows that persistent high temperatures can be expected in the coming days. Citizens are therefore asked to be careful and take care of themselves, especially in this tense weather situation.