• A Bundeswehr CH-53 helicopter is dropping water from its 5,000-litre tank over the 269-hectare wildfire in Muritz National Park.
• Firefighters have contained the 388-hectare wildfire in Muritz National Park by creating water barriers to prevent further spread, with around 370 firefighters currently on the scene.
• Efforts to combat the fire have been complicated by the presence of a former military training area with potential unexploded ammunition, leading to limited active firefighting in certain parts of the site.

Firefighters have contained a wildfire in Müritz National Park in north-eastern Germany by creating water barriers to stop the blaze from spreading, local authorities said on Saturday.

The barriers soak the ground and trees in unburned parts of the forest, creating a buffer to prevent the fire from spreading further. Watering continued throughout the evening.

The fire has burned about 388 hectares and was being tackled by around 370 firefighters, a spokesman for the Mecklenburg Lake District said. A firefighting helicopter that had supported operations completed its mission.

The fire had spread because there had been no rain so far, the spokesman said, with westerly winds further fanning the flames.

Authorities said smoke was continuing to subside, indicating the fire was becoming less active, but urged tourists to stay away from the area.

Firefighting efforts have been complicated because part of the affected area is a former military training ground that may contain unexploded ammunition. Active firefighting has therefore been limited to the eastern part of the site, while police water cannon and a specialist firefighting unit from the neighbouring state of Lower Saxony were deployed to assist.

The fire was reported on Monday. Several villages have been evacuated on multiple occasions.