Germany news: Wildfire forces evacuations in western woods
Hundreds of villagers have been evacuated in western Germany after a wildfire spread close to a village. Meanwhile, farmers have warned that drought and high temperatures could cause major crop losses. DW has the latest.
Germany is facing a major wildfire in the Eifel region that has forced thousands to evacuate their homes on the weekend of August 15-16. Despite the fire being largely under control, authorities are continuing to monitor the situation and are concerned about the threat of explosions from unexploded ordnance from World War II still present in the area.
North Rhine-Westphalia's regional leader Hendrik Wüst expressed optimism that residents of the village of Gey would soon be able to return home, but the evacuation order is expected to remain in place for the day. Over 2,000 people were evacuated from the village near the Belgian border, and more than 1,400 firefighters have been working to bring the blaze under control.
Hot weather and a dry forest floor have made firefighting efforts challenging, but weather forecasts indicate temperatures will drop and there is a chance of light rain on Saturday. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and appealing to the public for information.
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