Summertime is when forests can become tinder boxes

Forests in the summer are a natural attraction for vacationers seeking to relax in the out-of-doors. But, with the hot weather, they can quickly become tinder boxes, and humans unwittingly can be those responsible for setting them ablaze, forest officials in Germany point out.

An empty beer bottle, or even some shards of glass can serve as magnifying glasses that can focus the sun’s rays and start a fire. So a first rule, according to German forester Denny Ohnesorge of the initiative HolzProKlima, is that people should take all their trash with them when vacating a picnic spot.

Common sense should tell people that in the summer, even making a fire in or near a dry forest, are not a good idea, he says. A carelessly discarded cigarette butt can start a fire destroying the very forest that people have come to for recreation.

People travelling in Germany at this time of year and planning to hike or camp in forest regions can get updates from the German weather service on the areas that are most in danger due to dry conditions.

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