Thulba Fire
| Thulba Fire | |
|---|---|
 A fire's Pyrocumulonimbus cloud rising above the Thulba Valley, as viewed from Oberhof on July 29, 2019 | |
| Location | Gotia, Mascylla |
| Statistics | |
| Cost | Ӄ26.1 billion ($12.7 billion) |
| Date(s) | July 29, 2019 - August 10, 2019 contained August 18 |
| Burned area | 104,584 acres (42,323 ha; 423,2 km2) |
| Cause | Unknown, most likely sparks of failing electrical transmission of LOE |
| Buildings destroyed | 1,709 |
| Fatalities | 100 civilians 2 firefighters (102 in total) |
| Non-fatal injuries | 30 civilians 9 firefighters 2 policemen (41 in total) |
| Evacuated | 32,400 |
The Thulba Fire was a large-scale forest fire in south-western Mascylla, being the single most deadly, destructive, and expensive wildfire in Mascyllary history, and among the most fatal ones in Berea to-date. Bearing the name of the town where it was created, Thulba in northern Gotia, close to Oberhof and Sankt Schneekup, the fire started on July 29, 2019, during one of the most dry and warm summers on record. The cause of the fire remains unknown, however a spark of a faulty electric transmission line operated by LOE is most likely the origin. Due to the relatively dry and stormy weather this day, the fire spread fast and uncontrollably along the valley, towards urban areas. After exhibiting enourmous spread of fire across rural areas around Thulba, it developed into a devastating firestorm once entering the town. Quickly receiving widespread media attention, and through international aid in combating the fire, it was completely contained by August 18, 2019.
The fire, as the deadliest Mascyllary natural desaster in thirty years, took the lifes of 102 people, 100 of which civilians, and the other 2 firefighters. Furthermore, it injured another 41 people, 30 civilians, 9 firefighters, and 2 policemen. During its existence, it devastated 104,584 acres (42,323 ha; 423,2 km2) of forest and agricultural land, with an additional 1,709 buildings, with most of the damage occuring within the first two days. The towns of Thulba and Oberhof were almost completely destroyed, while the city of Sankt Schneekup also suffered damage. The adjacent smoke reached Brunswald on Lake Sigismund and as far as Lilienburg and Bexford in Cuthland-Waldrich. By January 2020, the total damage was estimated at Ӄ26.1 billion ($12.7 billion), making it also the most expensive domestic catastrophy in twenty years.
Despite the faultry wiring, climate change also played a key role: the preceding drought and record-high temperatures certainly contributed to the aggressive and uncontrollable spreading of the fire. Since these extreme weather conditions are itensified by climate change, a 2020 study from the University of Lehpold concluded a two-thirds possibility of another such fire occuring in the next five years, and that even more severe catastrophies should be expected by 2030.
The fire in its beginning at 3PM on July 29 near Gütersweil
A retrofitted cargo plane is used to extinguish a burning hill
The enourmous plumes of smoke rising from the fire as seen from Sankt Schneekup
