Forest fires spurred on by extreme dry conditions gained ground on Tuesday in Germany’s eastern states of Brandenburg and Saxony, as well as across the border in the Czech Republic. In Brandenburg, a large state that encircles Berlin, about 8.5 square kilometres of forest and meadows – the size of almost 1,200 football pitches – was on fire. Near the village of Rehfeld, in Brandenburg’s Elbe-Elster district, 450 emergency personnel were battling the 850-hectare fire. Wind gusts of up to 60 kilometres per hour were aiding the spread. “Everything rises and falls with the weather situation,” said…