Bohemian Switzerland National Park Wild Fires
Recovered from the original WorldsAid recordOriginal report
The forest fire that broke out on 24 July in Bohemian Switzerland National Park in northern Czechia continued to burn and spread into Saxony Switzerland National Park in central-eastern Germany.
Reports from the German Joint Information and Situation Centre and the Czech Fire Rescue Service said the fire affected about 1,000 hectares. Residents of Hřensko, Mezná, Mezní Louka and Vysoká Lípa were evacuated, and several houses were damaged. High winds, difficult terrain and limited access hampered firefighting.
International response
On 26 July, Poland and Slovakia each deployed a helicopter. Italy mobilised two Canadair aircraft from the rescEU reserve, an Emergency Response Coordination Centre liaison officer was scheduled to arrive in Prague, and the Copernicus Emergency Mapping Service was activated as EMSR610.
Update
By 4 August, the affected area in Czechia had been reduced from 1,060 hectares to less than 500 hectares, although additional outbreaks were still being extinguished. More than 1,000 firefighters, over 200 vehicles, five helicopters and two Swedish rescEU firefighting aircraft had been deployed.
Germany reported a fire extent of about 150 hectares, with extinguishing work impeded by difficult terrain. Copernicus EMSR610 produced four maps covering affected areas in Czechia and Germany. EFFIS forecast high to very high fire risk across northern Czechia and central-eastern Germany for 4–5 August.
Sources and verification
- WorldsAid node 1378 — Wayback capture, 7 Dec 2024.
- WorldsAid database record: node 1378, latest revision 3111, title “Bohemian Switzerland National Park Wild Fires”.
- Copernicus Emergency Mapping Service activation EMSR610.
- Original attributed agency: Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO).