Forestry minister accidentally sets fire to forest: 'It's really embarrassing'

Helmut Brunner also broke one of his own laws by burning garden waste on a public holiday

Bavarian Forestry Minister Helmut Brunner mistakenly sparked the fire when he attempted to dispose of the remains of a bonfire (Hannes Magerstaedt/Getty Images)

A Forestry minister was left red-faced after accidentally starting a forest fire, saying he “totally underestimated” the situation.

Bavarian Forestry Minister Helmut Brunner mistakenly started the fire when he attempted to dispose of the remains of a bonfire, tipping hot embers into a nearby wood.

Later Mr Brunner found flames rising from the same spot and was forced to call the fire services, the Local reported.

“I totally underestimated it, it’s really embarrassing,” Mr Brunner told Bavarian Radio, “You can’t be careful enough.”

It took 22 fireman and 4,000 litres of water to put out the blaze, according to the Telegraph.

The fire followed a busy summer for Mr Brunner, throughout which he reportedly issued repeated warnings about the high risk of forest fires in the area.

It further emerged Mr Brunner had broken one of his own laws by burning garden waste on a public holiday.

Firefighters said the blaze was not dangerous and were able to dampen the flames before any damage to nearby property was caused.

Since the incident Mr Brunner has vowed to be more careful in future. “Such a thing will never happen to me again,” he told Bavarian radio.