Waldbrände in Deutschland und die besondere Gefahrenlage in Brandenburg

Forest fires in Germany and the special hazard situation in Brandenburg: The vulnerability of forests to fires is determined by the interaction of a large number of environmental factors and their characteristics. Those are multidimensionally interrelated. They influence each other in terms of their extentd and specifications. The extreme years of 2003 and 2018 to 2020, with exceptionally high temperatures and a lack of precipitation during the growing season, raised public awareness and the political debate on the need for climate adaptation measures in Germany. The analysis of forest fires over the last two decades shows that exceptional drought combined with the increased risk of ignition in urban-forest transition zones are the predisposing factors. About one third of all forest fires and almost half of the areas destroyed can be attributed to man-made ignitions. Forest fire statistics suggest that the condition and structure of forests, together with high temperatures and strong winds are the main factors determining the extent and severity of damage caused by forest fires. Brandenburg is the state most frequently affected by forest fires in Germany. Forest and succession areas contaminated with munitions play a special role in the development of large fires.