Press releases

Due to the ongoing fire in the Belgian Venn, firefighters from Aachen have been on the scene for days, both on the German and Belgian sides, assisting in firefighting efforts. Aachen’s mayor, Dr. Michael Ziemons, visited the scene in person on Tuesday (August 18) to get a firsthand look at the grueling work being done. “Above all, I’m here to thank the Aachen emergency responders! Many full-time and volunteer firefighters are working tirelessly here,” said Ziemons.

What has been unfolding in the High Fens for the past six days is distressing and almost unimaginable, the mayor continued. Meanwhile, the conditions under which emergency responders must operate are extremely difficult. In addition to the rugged terrain, there is heavy smoke. “Your eyes start to sting quickly, and respiratory protection is necessary,” Ziemons noted firsthand. Experts all agree that the fire will continue to affect the people and the region for a long time to come, as parts of it are burning underground.

Cross-Border Aid “At
the same time, I am impressed by the perseverance with which the first responders are working. Many volunteers, farmers, businesses, and institutions are supporting the firefighting efforts—for example, by transporting water. Equally impressive is how professionally such diverse groups are working hand in hand—even across national borders. We can be proud of our region and of how it stands together in a situation like this,” summarizes Aachen’s mayor.

For Michael Ziemons, the massive fire in the Venn has once again vividly confirmed two things: “It is important that we stand together in our region and be there for one another. And: Climate protection and adaptation to the consequences of climate change are essential. This disaster therefore serves as yet another reminder that we must not let up in our efforts.” The city of Aachen has laid an important foundation for this with its Integrated Climate Protection Concept and the Climate City Pact—and will continue to advance these measures.

Also on the Scene in the Hürtgen Forest: About
30 firefighters from the Aachen Fire Department were simultaneously deployed at the start of the week in Kalterherberg—a district of Monschau that was particularly hard hit—as well as a few kilometers across the border. Yesterday, Tuesday, August 18, an entire fire company from the Aachen-Mitte Fire Department remained on site.

Under the direction of the Monschau Fire Department, several units—including tanker fire engines (TLF) and disaster response vehicles (LF-KatS), as well as other specialized equipment—have already been deployed over the past few days. Personnel from the volunteer fire departments in Laurensberg, Mitte, Richterich, Brand, and Walheim, as well as the command staff of the professional fire department, were on site.

Since last Thursday, emergency responders from the entire Aachen Fire Department have been on continuous duty—both in Monschau and Belgium as part of regional assistance efforts for the fire in the Venn, and to support the Düren district in the Hürtgen Forest. Teams from the Forest Service and the municipal public works department also provided regional assistance during these large-scale operations.

The city of Monschau regularly posts updates on the large-scale operation in the Venn on its website: www.monschau.de.