Forest fire on the Hochstein near Lienz: Firefighters prevent greater damage

According to police information, reproduced verbatim, it states: "Es wurden keine Personen verletzt und es entstand lediglich geringer Sachschaden", so die Polizei. As a result, the consequences of the operation were comparatively minor, even though the firefighting efforts in the partly rocky terrain on the Hochstein required considerable logistical effort.

Background on the region

The Hochstein is one of the prominent elevations around Lienz and is known as a hiking and excursion area. During the summer months, the region is particularly susceptible to forest and field fires due to frequent dryness, which is why fire crews in East Tyrol regularly have to respond to vegetation fires.

In the past, there have already been repeated smaller fires on the Hochstein, most of which could be extinguished quickly. On Saturday as well, the responders succeeded in containing the flames before they could spread to additional areas. The mop-up operations continued for several hours, according to deployment information, as smoldering hotspots in the partly mossy ground can flare up again and again.

Investigations into the cause of the fire

Police have initiated investigations into the cause of the fire. There are currently no indications of intentional or negligent arson. Officers are asking witnesses who observed anything suspicious in the Hochstein area to contact the Lienz police station.

In addition to the Lienz fire department, other emergency organizations from the district were also on standby to provide support if needed. The exact course of the operation and the area burned are to be documented in an operations report once the firefighting efforts are complete.

Forest fire danger in East Tyrol

Residents of Lienz and the surrounding districts were informed of the applicable rules of conduct. The responsible authorities pointed out that open fires should be avoided in the forest and at the edge of the forest, and that cigarette butts should not be left behind along the hiking trails. Given the ongoing dryness in East Tyrol, emergency services also expect an increased forest fire danger in the coming days.

Police emphasized at the end of their statement that the exact amount of damage cannot yet be quantified, but that, according to an initial assessment, the property damage is to be classified as minor. The operation on the Hochstein ended late on Saturday afternoon.