Last week, a forest area in the St. Ingbert district of Oberwürzbach caught fire. The effects of the relatively small fire site are alarming. Within a very short time, flames rose about 6-7 meters high along the tree trunks. The trees in this area are completely blackened and partially charred. Only through early alerting of the fire brigade, which extinguished the fire in a very short time, was a larger forest fire prevented. "The forest floor and the vegetation are currently very dry and therefore very easily flammable," explains district forester Michael Weber.
Due to the ongoing drought, the foresters of St. Ingbert, the fire brigade, and the city administration are warning of the acute danger of forest and grassland fires.
Small fires can spread in the dry vegetation and extend into adjacent forests.
The following information should be noted by the population:
- Smoking in the forest is strictly prohibited!
- Do not carelessly throw cigarette butts out of vehicles.
-Grass areas and field paths should not be driven on with vehicles.
- Parking on dry grass should be avoided. The catalytic converter or hot exhaust can ignite the dry grass.
- Barbecuing and open fires in or near the forest should be avoided. Sparks can cause a rapid spread of the fire.
- Charcoal and burn marks must be carefully extinguished after use. Please do not leave any fire unattended.
- Do not burn weeds!
Another important note concerns drivers: "Keep access roads to forests, meadows, and fields clear so that large firefighting vehicles can quickly reach the deployment sites. In Oberwürzbach, parked cars delayed the approach. The delay can, in the worst case, cause fires to spread," explains Florian Jung, spokesperson for the St. Ingbert fire department.
If a grassland or forest fire, including a fire in its early stages, is discovered, the fire department must be notified immediately via the emergency number 112.
