Wernigerode (dpa/sa) – After several fires in the Harz Mountains, the state government in Saxony-Anhalt has published a map showing an accumulation of fires along the route of the Harz narrow-gauge railways. “Now it is public and visible to everyone, there is a clear accumulation of fires along the route of the Harz narrow-gauge railway,” said Cornelia Lüddemann, parliamentary group leader of the Greens, on Tuesday. The map is part of a response to a parliamentary question by the Greens and shows fire events in the region around the Brocken between 1994 and 2022.
The findings made the efforts to operate preventive fire protection all the more urgent, said Lüddemann. The state government announced that talks were already being held with the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen. Among other things, this involves exploring technological options for converting vehicles. For example, a conversion of the steam locomotives to light oil firing instead of burning hard coal is under discussion.
In September, a fire on the Brocken kept the fire brigade in suspense for about a week. Up to eight fire-fighting helicopters and several fire-fighting planes fought the flames in the meantime. The fire triggered a debate about the causes of the recurring fires in the Harz Mountains.
