Heat wave in Rhineland-Palatinate: danger of forest fires at its highest!

Heat wave in Rhineland-Palatinate: danger of forest fires at its highest!

The heat wave is rolling across Rhineland-Palatinate and not only brings temperatures above 30 degrees, but also a noticeably increased risk of forest fires. How current4u reported, the highest warning level 5 could be reached as early as next Tuesday. According to experts, the ongoing drought, which is exacerbated by the lack of rain, plays a decisive role in the risk of forest fires.

The forecasts from the German Weather Service (DWD) indicate that the peak of the heat wave is expected on Wednesday. From Thursday, a cold front could defuse the situation and finally bring the long-awaited rainfall necessary to reduce the fire risk. The forest fire danger index, which provides important assistance to the authorities, will show an alarming trend in the coming week: everything from “very low danger” to the “very high danger” warning level is represented.

Current wildfire danger index values

In recent years in particular, the risk of forest fires in Germany has increasingly come into focus. The DWD's forest fire danger index (WBI) indicates the danger level in five levels:

• 1: sehr geringe Gefahr
• 2: geringe Gefahr
• 3: mittlere Gefahr
• 4: hohe Gefahr
• 5: sehr hohe Gefahr

The forecasts for the next few days show that in Rhineland-Palatinate, for example, values ​​between 3 and 4 can be expected in the next few days, which will make it considerably more difficult to combat any fire that might break out. This also confirms weatherhazards.de, where the regional values ​​for the risk of forest fires are listed in detail. High danger levels are also reported in federal states such as Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, which paint a similar picture.

Climate change as a factor

The situation is not new. A significant decrease in forest fire areas in Germany was found between 1991 and 2017. However, the last two years show that extreme weather conditions - such as the heat waves and droughts in 2018 and 2019 - are increasing the number of wildfires. The northeastern federal states were particularly badly affected, and forecasts from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research warn that this problem could increase in the future. This information and analysis can be found on Umweltbundesamt.de be read.

Negligence and arson remain the most common causes of forest fires, while the spread of fire can be significantly influenced by wind speed and the structure of the forest. This makes it all the more important to take preventative measures, such as improving the firefighting infrastructure and training emergency services.

The coming days will show whether the weather front forecast for Thursday can bring about a change. Until then, the “fire remains in the air” and not only the forests but also the population are on guard. Stay vigilant and pay attention to the warnings from the relevant authorities!