A forest fire broke out in Raabs ad Thaya (Waidhofen ad Thaya district) on Saturday evening. According to the district command, around 145 members of 15 fire brigades were deployed. The flames also spread rapidly over an area of up to 20 hectares due to the persistent wind. Due to the location of the fire near a pond and the good accessibility via forest roads, the fire was quickly extinguished. There were no injuries.
The flames took their course around 6 p.m. in Modsiedl, a cadastral municipality of Raabs ad Thaya. A little later, the highest alert level “B4” was triggered. The procedure was partly under respiratory protection, and the so-called special forest firefighting service was also requested. Fire quickly under control According to the district command, the fire was quickly under control. Tank firefighting vehicles from several communities were used, and local farmers provided support with vacuum drums for the water supply. The fact that there is a pond about 300 meters from the source of the fire also played into the hands of the helpers. Shortly before 8 p.m. the flames were finally extinguished. However, the work of the firefighters on site will continue into the night hours. “Thermal imaging cameras are currently being used to search for embers in the forest floor and rootstocks. There is a risk that hidden embers will be reignited by the wind and there will be another fire,” the district command said in the evening.
source site-12