In Upper Carinthia, a large area of forest began to burn on Sunday followingnoon during heavy work. The fire spread to around seven hectares of forest in steep terrain at an altitude of around 1,400 meters, as the state police said on APA request. It was an area above the municipality of Mühldorf im Mölltal (Spittal/Drau district). Ten fire brigades were deployed, and the police helicopter from Klagenfurt was also requested.
During the sweeping work on an alpine pasture on the Burgstallberg, branches and brushwood were supposedly heated in a controlled manner. At around 12:30 p.m., a burning rootstock suddenly broke loose and rolled down the valley, causing a fire that spread to an area of up to seven hectares.
Around 150 volunteer fire brigades in Mühldorf, Kolbnitz, Reißeck, Obervellach, Möllbrücke, Sachsenburg, Lendorf, Spittal/Drau and Seeboden as well as the Malta and Flattach company fire brigades were deployed. The police helicopter brought extinguishing water from a nearby reservoir. Due to the impassable terrain, the extinguishing work was difficult, and the wind also made it difficult to fight the flames.
According to the emergency services, the fire was under control in the evening, and reconnaissance flights were still being carried out, the police said. The amount of the damage is not yet known.
