Saarland is fighting against forest fires: education and new measures started!

Saarland is fighting against forest fires: education and new measures started!

The risk of forest fires in Saarland has increased sharply in recent weeks. This concern has been underpinned by numerous reports of drought in Saarland's forests, despite rainfall in recent days. In view of this situation, the Saarland Ministry of the Environment issued a warning in mid-May and is now planning increased prevention measures against forest fires. On Tuesday, the Saarland state government again pointed out the problem and how important it is to take appropriate protective measures.

In order to counteract the increasing risk, the “Fire and Forest” project group was created. This group is made up of representatives from the Ministry of the Environment, Saarforst, the Ministry of the Interior, the State Fire Brigade Association, the Ministry of Education, Saar Education Campus, the Hunsrück Hochwald National Park and the Saarland Accident Insurance Fund. The aim of this initiative is to educate kindergarten children and schoolchildren about the occurrence and prevention of forest fires. For this purpose, new learning materials are being developed, which also contain a booklet that discusses a fire that a child discovers while walking in the forest.

Prevention and protective measures

Interior Minister Reinhold Jost emphasizes the essential importance of not lighting open fires in the forest and refraining from smoking. In addition, fires in designated locations must be completely extinguished so as not to pose a danger. Parking habits in front of forest areas also play a crucial role: cars should only be parked in designated parking areas to avoid the risk of fire from hot parts. The entrance to forest paths and barriers must never be blocked, as this could endanger access for emergency services in an emergency.

To support the emergency services in action, a forest fire operation map should be created, which will be supplemented by classifications of paths. This map is intended to help quickly locate turning and passing points as well as the necessary infrastructure for fire engines. The Ministry of the Environment is working to implement this essential map in a timely manner.

Funding and numbers

Another aspect of the prevention strategy is the introduction of a new funding guideline for forest fire insurance for private forest owners. In this context, 50 percent of the insurance costs can be funded up to a maximum amount of 8,000 euros. These measures are particularly important because over 1,370 vegetation fires have been recorded since 2018, including 95 this year alone. The forest fires show that this challenge must not be underestimated in the future.

In order to better prepare communities in Saarland for such operations, the state invests around five million euros annually from fire protection taxes in equipping the districts. In addition, more funds were allocated to civil protection and disaster protection in the state budget, increasing the budget from 500,000 euros in 2022 to 1.5 to 2 million euros. These investments are necessary to ensure rapid and effective operational readiness, as Environment Minister Petra Berg (SPD) makes clear while she praises the preparations that are being made.

For further information on forest fire prevention in Saarland, read the reports from S.R and star.