Firefighters from Bonn, Düsseldorf, Leverkusen, Königswinter, and Ratingen heading to Spain to combat forest fires

In the heart of August 2025, a formidable team led by Frank Frenser, the head of the German wildfire firefighting team GFFF-V DE1, embarked on a mission to aid Spain in its battle against devastating forest fires. The team, comprising firefighters from several German cities, bravely took on the challenge in regions such as Extremadura and Castilla y León.

The team's arrival in the Castilla-León region, on August 24, 2025, was marked by the setting up of a Base of Operations in a rural school in Puebla de Sanabria. As the days passed, the firefighters worked tirelessly, facing challenging conditions and combating large-scale forest and vegetation fires.

On Sunday, the situation escalated as changing winds caused several individual fires to merge into a kilometer-long flame front. The village of La Baña was threatened by the advancing fire. In response, a massive hose reel deployment was implemented to prevent the fire from advancing beyond a safety line, which was created by bulldozers and German and Spanish tanker trucks.

The fires, over 50 meters high or inaccessible to vehicles and foot troops, required aerial support. Fortunately, support was provided by up to six fire-fighting aircraft and ten fire-fighting helicopters. The deployment team, along with Spanish units, defended La Baña against the flames in two shifts.

A medical emergency occurred at the edge of the deployment area involving a pedestrian. The immediate medical emergency team of the German Forest Fire Deployment Team provided initial care. Spanish rescue forces then took over further medical care for the pedestrian.

Subsequent mop-up operations were necessary to extinguish hotspots and prevent re-ignition. The German Forest Fire Deployment continues as planned, with the end of the deployment scheduled for the beginning of the following week. After the deployment, the return journey to Germany will take place.

For further questions, please contact the Fire and Rescue Service Bonn Press Office. To learn more about the German Forest Fire Deployment Team, visit www.bonn.de/feuerwehr. For urgent matters, you can reach us at +49 228 - 71 70**.

Original content source: Fire and Rescue Service Bonn, transmitted via news aktuell.

Firefighters from Bonn, Düsseldorf, Leverkusen, Königswinter, and Ratingen heading to Spain to combat forest fires