Vienna forestry office assesses damage from Lobau fire

Vienna’s forestry and agriculture department is assessing the damage caused by a fire in the Lobau area earlier this week, ORF reported. The investigation will also examine how long the 18-hectare area may take to recover.

The fire broke out in dry grass on Tuesday and was probably caused by a discarded cigarette. A detailed examination of the soil is expected to show whether plant seeds survived.

“The key question is whether the fire caused damage deep enough to affect the uppermost layers of soil, or whether, as it currently appears in some areas, it passed quickly over the surface,” said Günther Annerl, deputy head of the department, known as MA 49.

Annerl said nature would help restore the area, beginning with grasses and shrubs and eventually trees. However, trees could suffer delayed effects that may only become visible months or even years later, when they suddenly begin to die.

The next rainfall will be important to ensure that the affected ground receives enough water. Annerl said the area could become green again relatively soon if nature is allowed to recover, but added that this would not necessarily mean everything was back to normal. Further expert assessments will be needed to ensure the vegetation can recover sustainably.

The fire’s impact on animals also remains unclear. Animals able to flee could return relatively quickly, while those living in the soil may have been killed by the fire. How deeply the flames penetrated the ground will be decisive in this respect as well.