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Germany: 500 evacuated due to forest fire in Harz Mountains

September 7, 2024

After a forest fire broke out in the Harz Mountains of central Germany, hundreds of people were bussed to safety from the country's highest mountain in the massif, the Brocken.

https://p.dw.com/p/4kNeA
Wildfire in the Harz Mountains, Germany
Flames engulf the Königsberg in the Harz Mountains below the BrockenImage: Matthias Bein/dpa/picture alliance

About 500 people have been evacuated from a mountain in central Germany because of a forest fire, a spokesman for the Harz region said Friday.

Tourists, hikers and athletes are being bussed down from the Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, as the blaze continued to spread despite efforts to contain it.

The fire was discovered in the afternoon near Königsberg. District fire chief Kai-Uwe Lohse initially spoke of a fire about 300 meters (about 985 feet) long.

Difficult firefighting situation

About 150 firefighters are battling a fierce forest fire on the Brocken mountain in the Harz National Park. Firefighting is difficult, and the situation on the Brocken is "serious," the Harz district in the state of Saxony-Anhalt said Friday evening.

Many fires have merged into a larger front despite firefighters' efforts on the ground. By the evening, two planes from the state of Lower Saxony, a plane from the Harz district and a helicopter were being used to extinguish the fire, according to the district spokesman, who said six more helicopters had been requested.

There have also been several forest fires in the Harz region in recent years, forcing the evacuation of tourists.

dh/sms (AFP, dpa)