Until now it was believed that something like this could only happen in southern Europe. But now emergency services in Hirschwang an der Rax in Lower Austria had to go to the largest forest fire in Austrian history. Aisles and lines of defense are being used to try to contain the flames that have spread across 115 hectares of forest. Eight helicopters were in use on the national holiday, and despite initial successes, there is no end to the fire in sight.
Thick clouds of smoke announced the impending inferno in the forest area near Hirschwang an der Rax on Monday afternoon. A few hours later, the fire brigade, police, armed forces and mountain rescue services fought against a veritable wall of flames. In less than ten hours, the flames had spread from just five to more than 115 hectares of forest owned by the City of Vienna.
The right decisions had to be made quickly in the operations management in order to effectively fight the “largest forest fire that has ever occurred in Austria” according to the regional fire brigade command.
Not a good weather forecast
Trains of the fire brigade’s disaster relief service, helicopters from the police and the armed forces and employees of the City of Vienna were on a large scale on Tuesday: “The fire is far from under control and the weather forecast is not a good one,” said fire brigade spokesman Franz Resperger in an interview with the ” Crown”. For the next five days there is no rain and an additional east wind.
Eight helicopters were in action during the day – including two Black Hawks that had set off directly from Heldenplatz in Vienna to the Rax area to help fight the fire. According to information from ORF, 200 firemen are still on duty in the evening along the aisles at the edge of the forest. Embers flared up again and again and would set trees on fire. The mission should last five to six days – from dawn on Wednesday again with support from the air.
Forest worker injured brought to the hospital
On Tuesday morning, the emergency services even had to cut aisles into the unaffected area in order to avoid a “fire jump”. During the work, a 51-year-old forest worker from the City of Vienna was hit on the hip by a stone and had to be taken to the hospital.
In addition to the state fire brigade chief Dietmar Fahrafellner, the Vienna city councilor Jürgen Czernohorszky also rushed to Hirschwang: “The emergency services and our employees are doing a great job, the organization is extremely professional,” said the local SP politician.
Vice-Vice President Stephan Pernkopf, who is not expected in the area until Wednesday, said from a distance: “Thank you to all those involved who have been fighting the flames for hours and days.”