BERLIN: German officials declared a major emergency as a forest fire spread further on Friday, burning on a former military training ground south of Berlin where unexploded ordnance is hampering the work of firefighters.
A spokesman for the Teltow-Flaming district emergency management said on Friday evening that the situation was getting worse, regarding the blaze that began 10 days ago, reported dpa.
He said there was a major deployment of forces and resources, with 100 emergency personnel and 18 fire engines at the scene near Juterbog.
The fire has already burned 718 hectares and had spread to a new area, of 10 hectares, towards Frankenforde. Officials said the fire spanned 650 hectares on Wednesday.
However, as before, “no villages are threatened by the new fire either,“ he said.
The city of Juterbog had been leading the operation but the Teltow-Flaming district has taken over given the extent of the damage.
According to the spokesperson, the emergency forces will receive support from the Federal Police and the Federal Armed Forces, and three helicopters will support the fire-fighting efforts.
The fire broke out on May 31, but the fire brigade cannot fight it at its source due to the danger presented by unexploded ordnance in what used to be a military training area.-Bernama
