Petersberg / Jena, 06.03.2026 – A seemingly harmless campfire in a private garden led to a massive fire department operation in the Saale-Holzland-Kreis. A 75-year-old woman lost control of the flames on Thursday afternoon, which spread rapidly to the surrounding vegetation.
- What: Brush fire (approx. 2,000 m²)
- When: Thursday afternoon, 05.03.2026
- Where: Petersberg (Jurisdiction of LPI Jena)
- Emergency services: Fire departments of Eisenberg and Schkölen
- Property damage: None (only burnt shrubbery belonging to the person responsible)
Flames engulf wooded slope
On Thursday afternoon, the 75-year-old resident in Petersberg apparently underestimated the dynamics of the open fire. Due to carelessness, the flames of the campfire quickly spread to an adjacent slope covered with shrubbery. The situation got out of control; the fire ate through the dry undergrowth and eventually covered an area of around 2,000 square meters.
Fire departments in major operation
To quickly contain the large-scale fire and protect neighboring properties, the volunteer fire departments from neighboring Eisenberg and Schkölen were alerted. The emergency services arrived in full force and immediately began extinguishing the fire. The firefighters succeeded in completely extinguishing the brush fire. A stroke of luck: apart from the burnt shrubbery on the property of the person responsible, no further property damage occurred. No persons were injured.
Background: Safety with garden fires
The police and fire department regularly warn against lighting open fires near dry shrubbery or vegetated slopes. Even at low temperatures, wind can drive flames forward at lightning speed. The following basic rules should always be observed:
- Safety distance: Maintain a distance of at least 50 meters from highly flammable materials such as dry grass, coniferous shrubs, or buildings.
- Extinguishing agents: Always have a suitable extinguishing agent (fire extinguisher, connected garden hose, or sand) ready at hand.
- Supervision: Never leave the fire unattended and extinguish it completely immediately if strong winds arise.
Source:
Polizei-News Jena, 06.03.26: Campfire causes brush fire
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.