UP team pilot Markus Henninger was out on a cross-country flight when he noticed two fires in the forest along his route. We thank him for notifying the fire department!
In each of our manuals, we’ve included the following message: “Paragliding is a sport that brings you very close to nature. For this reason, treating the environment with respect should be a matter of course for every paraglider. When practicing our sport, we must take care to protect nature and the landscape. We therefore ask you not to make noise, not to stray from marked hiking trails, and not to leave any trash behind, in order to preserve the ecological balance.”
While reporting forest fires isn’t specifically mentioned there, Markus reacted exactly as he should have and didn’t hesitate for a moment to alert the fire department during his flight on August 15, 2026 when he spotted the smoke from the air.
He himself describes the flight with his TORRE as follows: “In the end, the DWD’s predictions of a 3,000-meter base altitude did come true. However, conditions didn’t become unstable until around 3:00–4:00 p.m. Then it turned into a really beautiful flight. Near Doberlug-Kirchhain, I acted as an aerial firefighter and reported two forest fires near Lugau from the air. Steffen - thanks for the tow in the sweltering heat!"
If you ever find yourself in a similar situation and aren't sure whether a wildfire you notice while out and about has already been reported, it's best to call the fire department. As you can see in Markus's video on YouTube, this question is quickly resolved. It's better to have two people report the fire than none at all.