Germany updates: 1,000 firefighters tackle wildfires in east

Following a heat wave that brought temperatures up to 40 degrees Celcius (104 Fahrenheit) across parts of Germany, firefighters have been deployed to tackle raging fires.

A total of 1,000 emergency personnel have been deployed to Gohrischheide in Saxony and the Saalfelder Höhe in Thuringia, both in eastern Germany.

Firefighters on the scene estimated the extent of the affected area to reach 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres).

Find out what else Germany is talking about on Tuesday, July 1, in our daily updates with a mix of news, analysis and background.  

07/04/2025July 4, 2025

Flixbus accident on highway in northeast Germany injures 20

A police spokesperson said 20 people were injured when a bus overturned on the A19 motorway in the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

One passenger was critically injured after being trapped for two hours before being freed.

The cause of the accident is still unclear.

The low-cost bus had 53 passengers and two drivers on board, and was travelling from Copenhagen to Vienna.

Police said the accident took place at around 2:40 a.m. local time (0040 GMT) near the Röbel junction heading toward Berlin. The part of the motorway where it happened remains closed.

The bus was owned by the Flixbus company which was involved in a deadly crash in Germany in January.

07/04/2025July 4, 2025

1,000 firefighters deployed against blazes in Saxony, Thuringia

The forest fire in Thuringia is considered to be one of the worst in decadesImage: Jacob Schröter/dpa/picture alliance

The major wildfires raging in eastern Germany continued to blaze out of control on Friday.

Authorities deployed a total of 1,000 firefighters between the two sites —Gohrischheide in Saxony and Saalfelder Höhe in Thuringia.

The full extent of the fires was not yet clear, in part due to the changing winds. According to German public broadcaster Tagesschau, local authorities estimated on Thursday evening that the Gohrischheide fire had impacted some 200 hectares (a little under 500 acres) whereas firefighters on the ground spoke of 1,000 hectares.

Several communities, including the city of Gröditz, had been put under a disaster alert. Some 100 residents had to evacuate their houses in the area of Heidehäuser in Saxony.

People living near the wildfires were told to be ready to leave and to keep windows and doors closed.

The fire in Saxony broke out on Tuesday close to a military training ground. It wasn't clear what started the fire. The situation is particularly dangerous because the fire keeps detonating munitions that are in the ground.

Police helicopters have been used to douse the flames, but military helicopters have also been requested.

A local forestry expert in Thuringia said that the Saalfelder Höhe forest fire is the biggest in the state since 1993, according to Tagesschau.

The German Weather Service (DWD) warned that there was a risk of further forest fires over the weekend in the south and east of Germany, with the situation only easing on Monday with the arrival of rain.

07/04/2025July 4, 2025

Welcome to our coverage

Guten Morgen from sunny Bonn! 

Germany continues to suffer from the recent heat wave with two major wildfires blazing in the east.

We will bring you the latest from that and much more, along with explainers and analysis from our colleagues across DW. Stay with us for the latest from Deutschland!