Fire rages in Czech national park four years after devastating blaze

A large-scale wildfire is currently burning in Bohemian Switzerland National Park in northern Czechia, just four years after a devastating blaze tore through the same area in the summer of 2022.

Firefighters say the fire, which broke out near Rynartice in the Jetřichovice area of the Děčín district, has spread across roughly 100 hectares (about one square kilometer) and remains active despite overnight efforts to contain it.

Around 500 firefighters are currently deployed, with reinforcements arriving from multiple regions across Czechia, including Prague, Pardubice, Liberec, Karlovy Vary, and Pilsen. In total, around 70 fire units are involved in the operation.

The Czech Fire and Rescue Service said the situation remains serious but stable enough to prevent further spread overnight. Crews have divided the affected area into three operational sectors, with one remaining particularly difficult to access due to steep and forested terrain.

A special incident command structure is in place, and the director-general of the Czech Fire and Rescue Service is monitoring the situation on site. Seven helicopters are expected to take part in firefighting efforts during the day, using water drops to target hot spots across the forested terrain.

Specialized equipment has also been deployed, including high-capacity water tankers and heavy firefighting vehicles designed for rough terrain. Drones equipped with thermal imaging are being used to identify hidden hotspots that are not visible from the ground.

According to the Czech Fire and Rescue Service, overnight efforts prevented further spread of the fire, but the blaze has not yet been brought under control.

Authorities said the affected area remains divided into three sections, with one sector near the Na Tokání area requiring the most attention due to ongoing fire activity. A nearby road between Jetřichovice and Rynartice has been closed, and police have urged the public to avoid the area and follow instructions from emergency services.

Like the 2022 blaze, firefighters said that access to parts of the terrain remains difficult, slowing operations in some areas.

The current fire comes four years after the largest wildfire in modern Czech history, which burned more than 1,000 hectares in Bohemian Switzerland in 2022 and required thousands of firefighters over several weeks.

That fire led to evacuations in nearby villages and became a turning point in how Czech authorities approach wildfire risk in protected areas.

Officials have repeatedly warned that dry conditions and rising temperatures continue to increase the risk of similar incidents.

Authorities have not yet commented on the cause of the fire. Fire crews are expected to remain on site for several days, with full extinguishing efforts likely to continue well beyond the initial containment phase.

Meteorologists have also warned in recent days about elevated fire risk due to persistent dry conditions across much of the country, which are expected to continue into the coming week.