Forest fire warning level 3 is in effect for the coming week. All public barbecue areas in and around the forest will remain closed. The City of Wiesbaden asks for your understanding regarding these measures, which are intended to protect not only nature but also people. 

At the same time, the fire department and forestry authorities are asking the public to be extra vigilant. Any fire should be reported immediately to the fire department by calling the emergency number 112, and—if possible—the emergency responders should be guided to the scene. The public is asked to keep all access roads to fields and forests clear. In an emergency, these are essential rescue routes. To protect the forest, smoking in the woods is prohibited year-round. Law enforcement will be conducting increased patrols of forested areas. 

Organizers of festivals must comply with additional requirements: For example, every barbecue stand must have additional fire extinguishers or filled buckets of water on hand.

Both the Forest Fire Danger Index (WBI) and the Grassland Fire Index (GFI) describe the meteorological potential for forest fire risk and the fire risk in open areas, such as meadows. The fire danger is indicated on a five-level scale: from 1 = very low danger to 5 = very high danger. The WBI and the GFI are used by state authorities responsible for wildfire prevention to assess the wildfire risk and issue warnings. Warning levels 1 and 2 do not require any measures. At higher warning levels, different measures are taken or mandated: at Level 3, forest barbecue areas are closed; at Level 4, there is a general ban on barbecuing at public barbecue areas; and at Level 5, in addition to the barbecue ban, strict requirements apply to event organizers. Those interested can find more information on the current situation online at www.wiesbaden.de/waldbrandgefahr (opens in a new tab).