Firefighters injured tackling wildfires in eastern Germany
Nearly 500 firefighters were battling the fires that broke out on Tuesday in Gohrischheide on the border between the eastern states of Saxony and Brandenburg.
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One female and one male firefighter suffered burns and were seriously injured.
The fires have burned hundreds of hectares and were still not under control on Thursday, and a state police helicopter equipped with special cameras to detect pockets of embers has been deployed, German news agency dpa reported.
A firefighter extinguishes embers from a forest fire fanned by strong winds in Germany (Daniel Vogl/dpa via AP)
Firefighters were having difficulty getting close to the flames because parts of the wildfires were on a former military training area where there is a risk of ammunition detonating.
The villages of Heidehauser and Neudorf and parts of the village of Lichtensee were evacuated. Residents received mobile phone alerts directing them to only take essentials, especially identification and cash.
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The notice advised them to inform neighbours and 'cover your mouth and nose with improvised respiratory protection (cloth, piece of clothing, surgical mask)'.
District officials called on people travelling by car to avoid the region.
Severe heat in Germany and elsewhere across Europe in recent days has plagued residents and led to several wildfires across the continent.
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