Unexploded munitions buried in the soil of an abandoned military training ground are preventing firefighters from actively combating a wildfire in Mueritz National Park, northern Germany, local officials reported on Wednesday, July 15th, 2026.

Officials from the Mecklenburg Seenplatte district said the presence of these old munitions has forced emergency services to maintain a safety distance of at least 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) from the fire. "Emergency services cannot actively put out the fire – that is the problem," district spokesman Marten Schroeder said.

This safety distance also restricts aerial firefighting efforts. Schroeder explained that helicopters cannot drop water effectively because they would have to fly so high that wind would disperse the water before it reaches the flames.

The wildfire has expanded to cover approximately 150 hectares (370 acres) of the national park, according to officials in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The flames continue to spread, prompting the evacuation of a nearby village for the second time.

Authorities have warned that the situation remains critical as the fire grows under these challenging conditions.

Sources