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Wildfire on German military training site contaminated with ammunition – Metro US

Wildfire on German military training site contaminated with ammunition

Germany Wildfires
Flames leap into the air in a patch of forest near Jüterbog, Germany, Monday, June 5, 2023. Freshening winds have fanned the forest fire in a munitions-laden woodland south of Berlin, more than doubling the affected area to 326 hectares. (Fabian Sommer/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — Strong winds have fanned flames at a wildfire on a German military training site that is known to contain large amounts of ammunition, causing it to double in size, officials said Monday.

The fire near Jueterbog, south of Berlin, had been simmering for days as authorities scrambled to prevent it reaching surrounding villages.

Firefighters have cleared large strips of land to contain the blaze but are avoiding the training grounds itself, where several explosions were heard Monday, officials said.

Weeks of dry weather have increased the risk of wildfires in eastern Germany, with some regions on the second-highest alert level.

Meteorologists say rain predicted for the coming days may lower the threat of wildfires again.