Situation worsens

Fire danger: drought keeps Austria on tenterhooks

Small forest and field fires occur time and again throughout Austria - fire departments advise increased caution.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/Miroslav Posavec)

The ongoing drought is dramatically increasing the risk of fire in Austria and has already triggered major operations in the country's forests. The fire departments are not only warning against open fires, but also against discarded garbage, which can ignite fires due to the lens effect. Forest fire regulations come into force earlier than usual this year.

The prolonged drought has greatly increased the risk of fire in the local forests. In the Rax-Schneeberg area, emergency services are currently battling a fire, while smaller forest and field fires continue to break out throughout Austria. The fire departments are warning of a particularly high risk and urgently advise caution: anyone who discovers a fire should call the fire department immediately and not attempt to extinguish it themselves.

Earlier than usual: forest fire regulations in force
Forest fire regulations are already in force in several districts, including Baden and Mödling in Lower Austria, according to Günter Huemer, duty officer at the provincial fire brigade command. The ordinance will also apply in five districts in Upper Austria from Monday - and much earlier than usual this year. A clear sign of how serious the situation is in this hot spring.

Plastic waste can also have a burning glass effect
It should go without saying that you should not smoke or throw away cigarette butts in the forest, just as you should not light a campfire in dry weather. But other waste also poses a risk: Many containers, whether glass or plastic, can focus sunlight due to their lens effect and start fires when the ground is dry.

In the case of larger forest and field fires, it can often take weeks before they are extinguished.

(Bild: Patrick Huber)

The fire department gives urgent advice: In the event of a fire, alert the fire department immediately before attempting to extinguish it yourself. It is by no means certain that a hand-held fire extinguisher will be sufficient to stop a fire, especially on dry ground where the fire can spread quickly. So don't waste any time and call 122.

Firefighting can take weeks
Large forest and field fires can often take weeks to extinguish completely, explains Huemer. It is particularly treacherous that the fire can continue to burn underground and spread without being immediately visible. In order to fight these hidden fires, special equipment such as ground entrenching tools is required - such as hoes and firefighting backpacks, which are used to contain the ground fire. However, access to the source of the fire, especially on steep slopes, is often difficult. "It's really a question of manpower," says the fire officer.

Incidents in the west
The drought also has an impact on customs, such as the traditional burning of sparks: The Vorarlberg state government had recently advised avoiding fires in the countryside. Some sparking guilds canceled their events, but there were still incidents: In Eichenberg (Bregenz district), a forest fire was only narrowly prevented on Saturday evening when flames spread during the lighting of a children's sparkler.

In St. Anton in Montafon, unknown persons lit a spark during the night and drove off. The spark guard only discovered the fire when it was already blazing. Fortunately, nothing happened.