Hesse forest fire burns 55 hectares near Rodenbach, residents told to stop showering for firefighting water

Fire breaks out across three sites

On Monday, fires broke out simultaneously at several points in the forest between Ober- and Niederrodenbach in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, South-East Hesse. Three separate fire sites were identified: one near tennis courts at the edge of Oberrodenbach, another near a weekend house settlement that was briefly evacuated, and a third at the Barbarossaquelle, a popular excursion destination in the Bulau forest. The combination of weeks of dryness and wind gusts complicated the work of the 500 emergency responders from fire services, police and other aid organizations. The fire spread across 55 hectares of forest, making it one of the largest operations of its kind in Hesse to date. No one was injured.

Fire brought under control

By Monday evening, the fire was brought under control, according to Rodenbach's mayor Klaus Schejna (SPD). However, firefighters continued battling glowing embers, with around 300 firefighters still on duty by Tuesday afternoon. Three fire brigades maintained their position in the affected forest overnight. A drone team from the Hanau fire department worked through the night before being relieved by the Karlstein fire department for further aerial reconnaissance. Smoke was still rising from some spots. A spokesperson for the Main-Kinzig-Kreis said follow-up extinguishing work could take days. Schejna warned the public not to enter the forest, citing risks to operations and dangers from damaged branches and falling trees.

Water-saving appeal

The high water demand for firefighting prompted the water supplier in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis to call on residents to reduce consumption. The warning, issued Monday evening via the Katwarn system, was directed at residents of Freigericht, Bruchköbel, Langenselbold and surrounding areas.

Bitte verzichten Sie möglichst auf Duschen, Baden, das Bewässern von Gärten sowie wasserintensive Tätigkeiten.

The district asked residents to limit consumption to "das absolut Notwendigste." The warning was lifted on Tuesday after more water flowed into the high-level reservoirs than was being drawn. The district spokesperson cited both the scale of the fire and the strained water supply from weeks of dryness as reasons for the appeal.

Arson not ruled out

Police have not ruled out arson as the cause of the fires. The three fire sites were distributed across partially difficult-to-access forest terrain, contributing to the scale of the operation. During the firefighting effort, the Main-Kinzig-Kreis control center warned via Katwarn that fire ash could rain down locally, urging people to avoid the area, close windows and doors, and switch off ventilation and air conditioning.

Water logistics in the forest

Fabien Kriegel, spokesperson for the Kreisbrandinspektion Aschaffenburg, which supported colleagues in Hesse, explained how water reaches forest fires. Most water comes from the pipe network, with rivers or lakes as alternatives. Tanker trucks shuttle water to containers set up in the forest, where pumps move it into hoses. Roll-off containers serve as large reserves. For aerial support, helicopters can dip water containers into lakes or rivers, or firefighters build a "Walrossbecken," a pool-like container. Farmers regularly assist by transporting large volumes of water in slurry tanks.

Second fire in Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis

A separate forest fire burned in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis, where approximately 8,000 square meters of forest burned between Hohenstein-Breithardt, Born and Bad Schwalbach-Adolfseck. The fire and disaster control authority reported a large-scale operation in which three firefighters suffered minor injuries.