Thunderstorms trigger vegetation fires across Salzburg mountains

Several fire brigades responded to forest and vegetation fires in parts of Salzburg after thunderstorms on Wednesday evening, ORF reported. Teams from Werfen, Pfarrwerfen, Bischofshofen and Thomatal were among those called out.

On the Katschberg in Carinthia, a cable-car employee alerted emergency services after seeing smoke near Lausitzsee lake. The fire was later found on Salzburg territory near the state border. Firefighters from both states reached the area on foot, with support from a police helicopter. They extinguished burning trees using water backpacks and water dropped from the helicopter.

In the Werfen district of Scharten, a section of forest floor caught fire in the evening. Firefighters quickly put out the flames and remaining embers and prevented the fire from spreading to nearby trees. They then turned over the forest floor as a precaution.

Fire brigades from Mühlbach and Saalfelden were also called to suspected forest fires after the storm. Helicopter and drone reconnaissance flights found no fires, and the operations were called off.