Fast intervention: forest fire in Spittal is just prevented!

Fast intervention: forest fire in Spittal is just prevented!

Spittal/Drau, Österreich - On Wednesday, April 10, 2025, there was an incident in the Spittal/Drau district, in which a starting forest fire was successfully fought through the volunteer fire brigade quickly. The situation was created during the implementation of an officially registered Schwendfeuer, which was burned on her property by a 45-year-old woman. Due to strong winds, the fire quickly reached to an adjacent forest.

The property owner noticed the spread and immediately acted by informing the emergency services. When the Heiligenblut fire brigade arrived, strong smoke development was already visible, and smaller fire spots had formed in the forest. The use of a total of 40 forces from the volunteer fire brigades Heiligenblut and Großkirchheim managed to prevent a larger forest fire.

efficient intervention by the fire brigade

Thanks to the coordinated and quick intervention of the fire brigade, the fire could be quickly contained and finally completely deleted. The amount of property damage, which affects an area of around 800 to 1000 square meters, is currently still unclear.

The challenge of forest fires is not new. In Germany, more intensive forest fires have been registered in Germany, especially the year 2022, which is considered a "record year". Experts estimate that around 75 % of the forest fires are floor fire, which are usually easy to control. Nevertheless, forest fires put a significant impact on ecosystems, the environment and the climate.

Topics of forest fire prevention

The problem is tightened by upcoming climatic changes, since it is predicted that hot and dry summer will appear in the future, which increases the likelihood of forest fires. A UN report warns of the consequences of extreme weather conditions and emphasizes the importance of prevention strategies.

Research on preventive forest fire protection is gaining in importance. Projects such as Thor and Waldbrand Climate Resilience (WKR) are funded as part of the forest climate fund to improve forest fire prevention and aftercare. This initiative aims to promote the exchange of international practices and standards in forest fire fighting and to develop training modules for firefighters. A relevant cooperation between forest administrations, forest companies and fire departments is essential to increase the effectiveness of fire fighting.