Forest Fire on Former Military Training Area Near Jüterbog – Fire Department Initially Reports a Relaxed Situation

Situation on Site

According to reports, the fire department is attempting to contain the spread of the fire using so-called forest fire breaks. However, firefighting is being complicated by the fact that the area is contaminated with munitions. According to the fire department, there is no danger to people.

Due to the ongoing drought, the second-highest forest fire danger level applied on Monday in almost all of Brandenburg. The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance warned people in the region of smoke development caused by the forest fire. The authority urged residents: "Ermöglichen Sie den Rettungskräften ungehinderten Zugang zum Einsatzgebiet!" and "Schließen Sie Fenster und Türen und schalten Sie Lüftungen und Klimaanlagen ab".

Warning from the Federal Office

The location of the current fire is the former Jüterbog-West military training area. The town of Jüterbog is located in the Teltow-Fläming district south of Berlin and not far from the state border with Saxony-Anhalt. The area is contaminated with munitions, which additionally complicates firefighting.

It is not the first time that there has been a fire on the area near Jüterbog. In May of this year, a forest fire on the site had already affected at least 152 hectares – an area of around 215 soccer fields. As recently as 2023, an area of around 700 hectares had caught fire near Jüterbog, according to earlier reports.

Forest Fires Near Jüterbog in the Past

The current fire is thus part of a series of forest fires that have affected the region in recent years. The combination of munition-contaminated soil, dried-out forests, and an expansive site makes firefighting in the area particularly complicated.

There are so far no indications of injured persons or of a direct threat to surrounding localities. According to available information, emergency personnel are concentrating on preventing further spread using the existing forest fire breaks. However, the weather situation remains tense: authorities continue to warn of a high forest fire danger in large parts of Brandenburg.

In light of the experiences from the spring and from 2023, emergency personnel and authorities are closely monitoring the development at the Jüterbog-West military training area. Should the drought continue in the coming days, experts assess that increased forest fire danger is also to be expected in other forested areas of Brandenburg.