A8 autobahn reopens after 5.5-hectare wildfire at Chiemsee; rain aids fires in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony

Chiemsee fire shuts A8 overnight

A wildfire in a forest and moor near Übersee, in the district of Traunstein, started shortly before midnight on Sunday, June 28. Firefighters, mountain rescue, and the federal agency for technical relief (THW) converged on the scene, with around 200 emergency personnel combatting flames that eventually scorched 5.5 hectares – roughly the size of eight football fields. One firefighter sustained slight injuries. Dense smoke drifting over the nearby A8 motorway prompted police to shut the autobahn in both directions between the Grabenstätt and Bernau interchanges in the early hours of Monday. A police helicopter was deployed to drop water on the fire. The police spokesperson said the duration of the closure would depend on the speed of extinguishing works and the wind direction. Residents in the area were advised to keep windows, doors, and ventilation systems shut. By 9 a.m. on Monday, the road had been reopened, though traffic jams persisted for several kilometres.

Rain aids firefighting in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony

Across Germany, the prolonged heatwave had sparked multiple wildfires. In Rhineland-Palatinate, a blaze at the Rotenfels near Bad Kreuznach broke out on Saturday afternoon, consuming approximately two hectares. The village of Traisen, home to 600 people, was evacuated as a precaution, with residents taken to an emergency shelter. Overnight rain brought some relief.

The rain pushed the fire down.

She noted that while there were no longer open flames, the fire still smouldered in many places. Firefighting was hampered by World War II munitions buried in the ground.

Fire in Gohrischheide under control

On the border of Saxony and Brandenburg, a wildfire in the Gohrischheide conservation area, which started on Saturday, was brought under control with the help of rain. More than 200 emergency workers and two helicopters were deployed.

We are on a good path. The fire did not spread further overnight and could be extinguished today.

As at Rotenfels, the area is a former military training ground littered with unexploded ordnance, forcing crews to operate with extreme caution and leaving some parts inaccessible.

Bavaria sees multiple smaller fires

While the Chiemsee fire was the largest, several other blazes kept fire services busy across Bavaria. In Regenstauf (Upper Palatinate), a tractor caught fire during field work on Sunday, igniting a nearby forest. Overnight monitoring continued into Monday morning. Near Pfreimd, 0.8 hectares of woodland burned on Saturday; near Stulln, 0.7 hectares; and in the Manteler Forst near Neustadt an der Waldnaab, 2.5 hectares went up in flames on Sunday. All fires were attributed to the extremely dry and hot conditions of the preceding days.