Overview
- Over the weekend, fire services in Baden-Württemberg and northern states battled several large field fires that required hundreds of responders and stretched local resources.
- Authorities say likely ignition causes include thrown fireworks and overheated farm machinery such as balers and combines, with police opening at least one arson investigation.
- The Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) shows high forest‑ and grassland‑fire indices for much of the southwest and medium to locally high levels in northern states, keeping the overall danger elevated.
- Officials and agricultural ministers are urging farmers to maintain and check harvest machines and asking the public to avoid grilling, smoking, discarding cigarettes, or parking on dry grass to reduce new starts.
- With the grain harvest under way, fire services warn that sparks from stones striking equipment and hot bearings on harvesters can ignite dry stubble quickly, so rapid reporting to emergency number 112 is critical.