Austria's Fires: What Caused The Inferno?

Most forest fires in Austria are caused by humans, although the reason for ignition is unknown in more than half of these cases. Lightning is another major cause of forest fires in the country, with 15% of documented forest fires attributed to lightning strikes. The majority of forest fires occur in spring and summer, and are usually contained to areas of up to 1 hectare.

Lightning-induced forest fires

Although most forest fires in Austria are caused by humans, lightning is the second most common cause. To analyse the causes of ignition and characterise lightning-induced forest fires, fire records were compared with the real appearance of lightning events using the Austrian Lightning Detection and Information System for the period from 1993 to 2010. It was found that 15% of documented forest fires were lightning-caused. Nearly all lightning-caused fires were found during the summer months, whereas almost 40% of all fires occurring from June to August were naturally caused.

During thunderstorm activity, local people seem to have a higher sensibility for natural disturbances, whereas lightning fires are discovered more rapidly. Direct manmade fires might be extinguished by the perpetrator before reported to the fire brigades. However, the Austrian fire brigade network is dense, as is the population in general. Even very small pasture fires are observed early by local people and reported to the authorities. Other explanations are related to the observation that human-caused fires often appear during peaks of heat waves, also in the presence of strong foehn winds, and thunderstorm activity is followed by rain and sometimes coupled with cold fronts that instigate a colder and moister weather period—reasons that may prohibit a larger spread of forest fires.

Human-caused fires

In Austria, most fires are started by humans, although the reason for ignition is unknown in more than half of them. The majority of forest fires are recorded in spring and summer and occur in parts of Carinthia, Tyrol, Styria, and the southern regions of Lower Austria.

The Austrian fire brigade network is dense, as is the population in general. Even very small pasture fires are observed early by local people and reported to the authorities. This may explain why larger fires are presently still rare in Austria.

To analyse the causes of ignition and characterise lightning-induced forest fires, fire records were compared with the real appearance of lightning events using the Austrian Lightning Detection and Information System for the period from 1993 to 2010. It was found that nearly all lightning-caused fires were in the summer months, whereas almost 40% of all fires occurring from June to August were naturally caused.

Forest fires in spring and summer

Forest fires are a common occurrence in Austria, with between 150 and 300 fires per year. The majority of these fires are recorded in spring and summer and are caused by human actions. These can be either direct, such as an out-of-control fire, or indirect, for example, a carelessly discarded cigarette. Other human-caused fires include forestry work, bonfires, fireworks, flying sparks on railways and arson.

Lightning is another major cause of forest fires in Austria, with 15% of documented forest fires attributed to lightning strikes. Nearly all lightning-caused fires occur during the summer months, and almost 40% of all fires from June to August are naturally caused.

The Austrian fire brigade network is dense, and even very small pasture fires are observed early by local people and reported to the authorities. Human-caused fires often appear during heatwaves and strong foehn winds, while thunderstorm activity is followed by rain and sometimes colder weather, which can help to prohibit the spread of forest fires.

Forest fires in Carinthia, Tyrol, Styria, and Lower Austria

In Austria, most forest fires are caused by humans, although the reason for ignition is unknown in more than half of these cases. The majority of forest fires are recorded in spring and summer. Parts of Carinthia, Tyrol, Styria, and the southern regions of Lower Austria are highly affected by forest fires. Most of the fires are caused by human actions, either directly, such as an out-of-control fire, or indirectly, such as a carelessly discarded cigarette. Other human-caused fires include forestry work, bonfires, fireworks, flying sparks on railways and arson. Lightning is another major cause of forest fires in Austria, with 15% of documented forest fires attributed to lightning strikes. Nearly all lightning-caused fires occur during the summer months, whereas almost 40% of all fires occurring from June to August are naturally caused.

Forest fires in Austria usually burn areas of up to 1 hectare, and larger fires are still rare. However, an increase in the occurrence of forest fires could impair the protective function of forests, making the affected areas more vulnerable to other natural hazards such as avalanches and mudflows. It could also result in significant costs for technical measures. The Austrian fire brigade network is dense, and even very small pasture fires are observed early by local people and reported to the authorities.

Forest fires caused by cigarettes, bonfires, fireworks, and arson

In Austria, most forest fires are caused by humans. However, the reason for ignition is unknown in more than half of these fires. Lightning is the major reason for forest fire ignition in Austria after human-caused fires.

Forest fires in Austria are often caused by human actions, either directly or indirectly. For example, a carelessly discarded cigarette can start a fire, or a bonfire can get out of control. Fireworks are also a common cause of forest fires, as are flying sparks on railways. Arson is another factor that can lead to forest fires. These human-caused fires often appear during peaks of heatwaves and strong foehn winds.

The Austrian fire brigade network is dense, and even very small pasture fires are observed early by local people and reported to the authorities. This rapid response helps to prevent the spread of forest fires.

In addition to human-caused fires, lightning is a significant factor in forest fire ignition in Austria. Lightning-induced forest fires were found to occur mostly during the summer months.

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