Firefighters in Germany are having to deal with a unique hazard at a wildfire 30 miles southwest of Berlin — old rusting ammunition left over from World War II. After several detonations, firefighters are not being allowed to enter certain areas. They are using water-dropping helicopters and water cannons on fire engines to slow the fire in the dangerous areas.
The fire has burned approximately 660 acres.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the munitions that are exploding include grenades. Below is an excerpt from their article:
Some of the heaviest fighting in World War II took place in the forests outside Berlin, starting with the battle at the Seelow Heights on April 16, 1945. More than 2.5 million Soviets launched their attack on and around Berlin with some 6,000 tanks and 7,000 warplanes. The area was left littered with ammunition, grenades and other explosives.
Some of the munitions and ordnance in the area could also have been left behind by Soviet troops who occupied and engaged in “war games” with training exercises in the forests around Berlin during the Cold War.
In July firefighters in Germany also had to contend with WWII munitions at a fire near Fichtenwalde.
Not unusual. In Fairbanks, any fires out in the bombing range areas on the flats around town, and it’s a vast area, the situation is exactly the same – only air drops or monitoring the fire. Locals complain about the fire smoke as usual, but the life and limb safety of our fire personnel trumps any smoke concerns.