Operation flown – Rax fire: Small breakdowns with fire-fighting planes

The fight against the raging forest fire in Hirschwang in the market town of Reichenau ad Rax (Neunkirchen district) was also in full swing on the sixth day in a row. According to the state fire brigade commander Dietmar Fahrafellner, around 750,000 liters of water were transported on Saturday. In cooperation with deployed ground troops, the embers were reduced by a third. However, support has started with foreign aircraft – Italian fire-fighting planes are already in use, but with minor start-up difficulties.

The two Canadair machines of the type CL-415 from Italy each have a capacity of around 7000 liters, like LHStv. Stephan Pernkopf (ÖVP) of the APA said. The plan is for the two planes to take the water they need from the New Danube. However, this turned out to be not that uncomplicated, as the “Krone” found out. Problems also arose with another attempt to take up water from Lake Neusiedl. A test deletion was carried out with the machines on Saturday afternoon. “They will give us massive support tomorrow from daybreak,” said Fahrafellner, looking ahead.

Special helicopter from Germany
Two special helicopters – Sikorsky CH-53 – will arrive from Germany on Sunday afternoon, both with a capacity of 5000 liters. “We are now prepared for the next few days,” said Pernkopf.

The state vice-president was generally “grateful that we received these special devices”. This is “also thanks to the volunteers who are ready to fight for the neighboring states at any hour of the day or night,” recalled the ÖVP politician, among other things, of the deployment of numerous Lower Austrian firefighters in the forest fires in North Macedonia in August.

850 helpers in action
A total of 850 helpers went to work in the Rax area on Saturday. The area of ​​the summit ridge or the area around the so-called Knofeleben was one of the main areas of application. People from several federal states helped out: “We have workers from Vienna, Upper Austria, Styria and Salzburg,” said Fahrafellner. “The cooperation works perfectly.”

For the next few hours, a light wind with a strength of around ten km / h is announced. “We would have to endure that without major fires at night,” said the state fire brigade commander.

The mission is far from over
Despite six days of full effort, the personnel are still far from finished. Made possible by the structure of the disaster relief service, the forces deployed would be exchanged “every 24 hours”. “We can always start with full energy and fresh teams in the morning,” said Fahrafellner.

The flames broke out on Monday. The fire spread extremely quickly – from five to more than 100 hectares in ten hours. With regard to the cause of the fire, the police assume a “foreign source of ignition”. Surveys of the surroundings, for example also in surrounding huts, are carried out. Numerous notices have already been received.

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