Heat drives Upper Austria mountain rescue callouts to record levels

Upper Austria’s mountain rescue service recorded 75 emergency callouts in July, more than twice the 33 reported during the same month last year, ORF reported. The service attributed the increase to persistent heat combined with misjudgements when planning tours.

Hikers are increasingly relying on apps and entering terrain beyond their abilities. Circulatory problems, exhaustion and dehydration have consequently led to more emergencies.

The final one and a half weeks of July were particularly busy, the mountain rescue service said in a statement on Friday. The trend continued in August, with at least one emergency call received every day since July 22. The busiest day was July 29, when rescuers in Upper Austria were called out six times.

Rescuers have also repeatedly been deployed to support efforts to fight forest fires.

The mountain rescue service urged people heading into the mountains to prepare their routes carefully, obtain sufficient information and realistically assess the demands of each tour. It also stressed the importance of suitable equipment, carrying enough water and checking weather forecasts, including expected heat levels.