Huge fire breaks out in Berlin forest after explosions at bomb disposal site

Authorities have called for the army to support efforts to tackle the blaze

Smoke billows over the Grunewald forest in Berlin on 4 August, 2022 (AFP via Getty Images)

A large fire is tearing through a forest in western Berlin after multiple explosions were reported at a bomb disposal site, the capital’s fire service has said.

The blaze has engulfed an area of 15,000 square metres in Grunewald forest since it started on Thursday amid a national heatwave. Pictures from the nearby Lake Wannsee showed plumes of smoke billowing above the treeline.

“The situation is dangerous,” said Thomas Kirstein, of the Berlin fire department, who warned people to stay away from the area.

The emergency services have sealed off a kilometre radius, but their task of extinguishing the flames has been hampered by flying debris and concerns about further explosions.

Authorities in Berlin have called for the national army to support its efforts to tackle the fire, which will also be aided by water cannons and helicopters.

The conflagration has led to road closures and train delays in the west of the city, but has not threatened homes yet.

However, there are fears that the fire could spread because of the dry conditions and high temperatures. Berlin is due to experience highs of up to 38C on Thursday, according to the German weather service DWD.

“The forest is bone dry,” said Jan Thomsen, spokesperson for the capital’s environment department.

Smoke is seen in the distance from a harbour in the Berlin suburb of Spandau (REUTERS)

The Grunewald forest, which covers an area of almost 7,500 acres, is one of the city’s largest green spaces.

The police said it is unclear why the explosions occurred at a site used by the force’s weapons disposal unit. The facility holds ammunition from the Second World War as well as explosive ordnance.

Like other countries in Europe, Germany has experienced high temperatures this summer, as extreme weather events become more common due to climate change.