“Don’t take a shower”: Wildfires trigger unusual water-saving plea in Germany

Thousands of square meters of forest are burning in the German state of Hesse, prompting authorities in several towns to ask residents to refrain from taking showers or baths to ensure sufficient water supplies for firefighting, Tagesschau reports.

On August 11, emergency services were working to contain the aftermath of a forest fire in the Main-Kinzig district. According to a district representative, the fire had spread across an area of around 55 hectares.

Police said it was not yet known whether the individual fire hotspots were connected, but arson could not be ruled out.

At one point, around 700 firefighters from Hesse and Bavaria were deployed at the scene, according to the district representative. Up to 500 firefighters were working simultaneously in shifts to tackle smouldering embers.

As a result of the fires, the Main-Kinzig district’s municipal utility company called on residents to conserve water on Monday, August 10.

“Please refrain, if possible, from taking showers, baths, watering gardens and other activities that require large amounts of water. Every litre counts,” the utility company said.

The call for water conservation was lifted on Tuesday, August 11.

By Jeyhun Aghazada