Overview
- The fire, which ignited Thursday afternoon, expanded rapidly and has burned roughly 300 hectares, prompting a pre-dawn evacuation of about 1,800 residents from the Gey district.
- Hundreds of responders and multiple agencies are engaged in the operation, including Bundeswehr NH90 helicopters with Bambi Buckets, pioneer vehicles, police water cannon and interstate forest‑fire modules.
- Authorities say unexploded ordnance in the Hürtgenwald has caused detonations on the fireground and makes it unsafe to send firefighters into much of the burning forest, so crews rely on aerial drops and heavy equipment to contain the blaze.
- Officials report the situation is temporarily stabilised with work focused on flanks and hot spots, but they warn changing winds and expected afternoon thermals could re‑ignite spread and make the next hours critical.
- Dense smoke and ash have forced relocation of two emergency shelters, closed motorway exits for rescue access, and prompted health warnings that residents in surrounding communities should stay indoors and keep windows closed.