“It gets bad if it is no longer possible to help”

This summer was divided into two in relation to the weather: an unusually warm and dry June was followed by a relatively cool and rainy July, which was again very hot August weeks.

These extremes also developed in the operations of the volunteer fire brigades. For example, the helpers had to deploy heavy rain, especially at the beginning of July, to pump out the basement and buildings or to clean flooded roads. In the period between June and the end of August, the fire brigades were called for 848 missions after elementary events.

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The helpers are also increasingly demanding the increasing heat and associated drought, says Christian Hildner from the State Fire Brigade Command. “The risk of hallway and forest fires increases,” he says. According to the Waldbrand database Austria, a total of 114 vegetation fires were registered throughout Austria between June and August.

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