In Planitz, now a part of the city of Zwickau, a coal seam that had been burning since 1476 could only be allayed in 1860.
In Dudweiler (Saarland) a coal seam fire caught fire around 1668 and is still burning today. Also known is so-called
Stinksteinwand (stinking stone wall) in Schwalbenthal on the eastern slope of the Hoher Meibner, where various seams
ignites fire centuries ago after lignite coal mining ended; combustion gas continues to reach the surface today . Up to 10
coal fires per year in the Ruhr area of Germany are induced by spontaneous heating [10].