Forest fire in Schwarzau

Preliminary “fire out”, but danger remains

The fire was extinguished. However, pockets of embers can still occur and will be monitored for some time depending on the weather conditions.

(Bild: NÖ LFK)

The fire that broke out on March 8 in Schwarzau im Gebirge (Lower Austria) due to a defective vehicle has been extinguished. However, the danger that embers could reignite remains. Drones and thermal cameras are being used to fly over the entire area twice a day.  

"At the moment, there is only a temporary 'fire out'", explains district fire brigade commander Josef Huber to the "Krone" newspaper on Tuesday morning. However, pockets of embers and burning rootstocks underground can still break out into new fires. For this reason, the entire area is flown over twice a day - at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. - using drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras. 

Local fire department provides additional service 
"The tireless efforts of over 1,000 firefighters, mainly from the district of Neunkirchen, with over 200 vehicles, supported by six firefighting helicopters and special services from the Lower Austrian Fire Brigade Association, prevented the worst from happening," says Huber.

Currently, only the local fire department is on site. When pockets of embers are discovered, they are deployed with ground tools and fire-fighting backpacks to dig them out and extinguish them. It is not yet possible to say how long this operation will last. "Rain would be particularly important now," says Huber. 

Forest fire danger is enormous - campfires continue despite this
Huber is appalled by the recklessness of some people. It was only at the weekend that the forestry inspectorate discovered two campfires along the Schwarza again. "One had been prepared and a second had already been lit," says Huber. Unfortunately, the perpetrators could not be caught. 

"We urgently appeal to the public not to light open fires, especially in wooded areas, but also at the edge of the forest. Please also do not carelessly throw any smoldering cigarette butts into the countryside. Every spark can become a new danger," warns State Fire Brigade Commander Dietmar Fahrafellner.