Waldbrand in St. Egyden: Fire brigade prevents worse inferno!

Waldbrand in St. Egyden: Fire brigade prevents worse inferno!

St. Egyden am Steinfeld, Österreich - On Saturday, a forest fire in St. Egyden am Steinfeld, which suffered around 800 to 1,000 square meters of young forest. The fire brigade reacted quickly, and the alarms of the emergency services took place on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. The quickly ripped -down 120 fire brigade members from ten different fire departments prevented the fire from spreading and quickly brought it under control. The windbill that was decisive for fire fighting contributed to the fact that the overall use was successful. Deleting work was still on Sunday afternoon, while the affected area was flown with drones to find possible embers.

The exact cause of the fire is still unclear and the police have started investigations. Forest fires are not only a great danger for the areas concerned, but are also a recurring problem that is favored by the increasing dry and heat periods due to climate change. These fires are particularly dangerous because they can spread quickly and cause serious damage to habitats and the environment. According to Statista, Europe, the USA and the Amazon area are among the most affected regions.

effects of forest fires

The financial damage caused by forest fires are considerable. In 2022, more than 3,000 hectares of forest were destroyed by fire in Germany, which is the highest loss in the past 30 years. In the following year, 2023, the number of destroyed areas fell to over 1,200 hectares, which is still considerable compared to the previous year.

A large part of the forest fires in Germany is caused by human action, be it by arson or negligence. However, around half of the fires have unknown causes. In countries like Brazil, almost 37,000 forest fires in the Amazon area were recorded in the first half of 2023, which indicates a continued trend of increasing and intensity of such fires.

The persistent problem of forest fires underlines the need for increased protection of forests and the seizure of preventive measures to protect both the environment and the health of the population. More information on the background and causes of forest fires can be read in detail at ORF Niederösterreich