Forest Fire in Müritz National Park: Old Munition Prevents Direct Firefighting

Obstacle: Old Munition — Why Firefighters Cannot Extinguish Directly

Fighting the fire is difficult for a historical reason: Because the former military training area is contaminated with old munitions, firefighters cannot approach the blaze directly. Instead, they are attempting to contain the fire from the outside — using circular sprinklers, for instance, which are otherwise used for irrigation. In addition, circular sprinklers have also been set up there, the emergency services reported.

For support, emergency personnel and fire engines from Bavaria are expected to arrive in the morning to provide assistance. The emergency crews from Bavaria are bringing not only such water sprinklers but also a hose tender with a total of 2,000 meters of hose. The aim is to prevent the flames from reaching the settlement.

Countermeasures and Support from Bavaria

State Environment Minister Backhaus (SPD) is also expected in the affected region on the day of reporting. Between the forest edge and the settlement, there is a field that has been plowed multiple times in order to get combustible material beneath the soil. This is intended to create a buffer zone between the seat of the fire and the locality.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, around 10,000 hectares of forest in the region are considered to be highly contaminated. Large quantities of old munitions are still stored in the ground in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In and around Neustrelitz, among other places, around 20,000 soldiers of the Red Army were stationed from 1945 onward, using the terrain as a military training area.

Background: Contamination of Forests with Old Munitions

While in larger cities it is primarily aerial bombs from the Second World War that are found, in the sparsely populated and heavily forested areas it is more likely munitions that were used over many decades for military maneuvers and shooting exercises. However, the munitions in the forests partly also originate from the German Wehrmacht, which disposed of its weapons and munitions in 1945 while fleeing from the Soviet Army.

The situation remains tense. While firefighters continue to attempt to bring the fire under control from the outside, the population of Granzin and Granziner Mühle waits out the danger in safety. The exact duration of the evacuation remains uncertain as long as the cause of the fire is unclear and extinguishing work is hampered by the munitions-contaminated area.

This news item was broadcast on 16.07.2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program.