Four Years After the Bohemian Switzerland Fire: New Life Blooms Beneath the Birches

Four years after the devastating fire in Bohemian Switzerland National Park, the scorched land has transformed into a living forest teeming with plant and animal life, park spokesman Jan Salov has reported.

Nature began recovering almost immediately after the disaster. The first to appear on the burnt ground were fungi growing on charred wood and soil, including the brick-red hypholoma (known locally as “ohnivka spáleništní”) — a short-lived species that colonizes burn sites for only a few months. Mosses, grass shoots, various herbaceous plants and young birch saplings followed soon after.

“Today’s visitor sees a completely different picture than right after the fire,” Salov said. The blackened landscape that once dominated the area has given way to lush greenery. Only the charred trunks of spruce trees, slowly crumbling away, still bear witness to the blaze. “It might look like a purely birch forest, but that’s not the case. Beneath the canopy you can already see the shoots of long-lived tree species and other plants,” he explained.

According to Salov, the number of birches will gradually decrease over time, leaving only the strongest specimens standing. Other tree species will take over the newly available space, and within a few years the fire-damaged area will grow into a rich mixed forest.

Those interested in learning more about how the forest is recovering after the fire can join a guided walk with botanist Ivana Marková next Wednesday. The tour will begin at 9:15 a.m. at the Hřensko, Pravčická Brána bus stop.

Mammals and birds returned to the fire-affected area almost immediately after the blaze, while populations of amphibians, reptiles and insects were largely unaffected by the disaster. As the forest naturally regenerates, new animal species are moving in: whereas the area was once home to creatures suited to dense spruce monoculture, it is now attracting species that favor open landscapes — such as the red-backed shrike and the woodlark, Salov noted.

Meanwhile, court proceedings continue in the arson case linked to the fire, with former volunteer park ranger Jiří Lobotka standing accused. In January this year, the court of first instance once again issued a non-final ruling stating that Lobotka did not start the fire in the reserve. He had initially confessed twice to setting the blaze but later retracted his statements. He has admitted guilt only for later, smaller-scale arson incidents in the Děčín area, for which an appellate court has already sentenced him to two years in prison and mandatory treatment. For starting the massive fire in the national park, he faces up to 15 years behind bars.

Around Prague, based on reporting by ekolist.cz