Emergencies: Fire in the national park spreads - appeal to farmers

A wildfire spreading through the Müritz National Park has expanded beyond initial estimates, with more than 160 hectares affected by burning or burned areas as of late afternoon on July 15, 2026. Over 330 emergency personnel remain deployed at the scene, according to local authorities. The evacuation order for the village of Granzin remains in place, while additional roadblocks are being established around the town of Speck to contain the fire’s spread. Local officials have called upon farmers to assist in reducing pressure on emergency services by preparing equipment such as eggnets and water tanks to help combat potential fires independently. This request follows repeated instances of fires on farmland in northern regions over recent days. The fire was first reported on Monday, and efforts to control it have continued since then. Authorities announced that requests had been made nationwide for additional circle sprinklers, devices used primarily for irrigation, to aid in containing the blaze. These systems are employed during so-called containment lines, where strips of land are watered to prevent the fire from advancing further. However, firefighting operations are complicated by the presence of old military ordnance in the area, which includes a former training ground. As a result, firefighters cannot approach the fire directly due to safety concerns. According to regional forest officials, the affected area falls under the second-highest level of forest fire danger, with high risk levels noted specifically for the Mirow Forestry Office and parts of the Jasnitz Forestry Office in western Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. A spokesperson for the district confirmed earlier this week that the operation could last several more days. This comes just weeks after another fire broke out in early July on a nearby military training ground within the national park, affecting over 100 hectares and requiring multiple days of firefighting efforts. That incident also occurred on munitions-laden terrain. The current fire has disrupted activities for some tourists and recreational users in the region. Ingo Hecht, who runs a canoe rental business in Kratzeburg, told the German Press Agency that he faces challenges in retrieving customers who have taken trips along certain waterways that are now closed. Some of these customers have been away for several days, possibly having turned off their phones and thus remained unaware of the fire initially. Hecht explained that his business is currently operating under a “cost-cutting” mode, with half of his staff assisting in firefighting efforts as part of volunteer fire departments. Customers can now only take shorter trips compared to usual, and overall demand has decreased significantly. He described this as the first time a fire has had such a direct impact on his business. While much of the national park remains unaffected, the fire does pose logistical issues for some travel routes. A representative from the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte tourism association stated that the eastern part of the national park is not impacted, allowing for unrestricted tourist activities in other areas south of the affected zone. For example, the town of Mirow reports no effects from the fire, nor do other vacation spots along the lake district. However, one notable exception is the Berlin, Copenhagen cycling route, which currently cannot pass through the national park. Alternative detour routes are available for cyclists using this long-distance path.