Mühlstein Rallye faces criticism as drought raises wildfire fears

The Mühlstein Rallye in Upper Austria’s Mühlviertel region is facing criticism over wildfire risks during a period of prolonged heat and drought, broadcaster ORF reported. Residents and farmers fear that fires could start along the routes, while organisers and emergency services are preparing additional safety measures.

Dozens of racing vehicles and thousands of fans are expected from Friday in the Perg district. Residents and farmers are concerned that hot vehicle parts or sparks could ignite dry meadows and woodland along the stages.

Farmers will provide water tanks along the route so they can be used as firefighting containers in an emergency. The tanks will be filled with water from the Aist river.

A fire broke out along a rally route in Tragwein in the neighbouring Freistadt district just a few days ago. About 250 emergency responders were deployed, and some of the water used to fight the fire had to be taken from swimming pools.

Daniel Schützenhofer, commander of the Tragwein fire service, told ORF that fires could occur at any time, including those caused by agricultural vehicles or cars with hot brakes. However, he said the risk was greater during a rally because of the higher speeds. Preparations by the fire service and organisers meant the danger was “manageable and assessable”, he said.

Some residents consider the safety measures sufficient, while others question the timing of a motorsport event during the drought. Organic farmer Sandra Schwaiger referred to a vehicle fire at a rally two years ago, which she said had been difficult to extinguish.

“I don’t want to know what it will be like if something like that happens this year,” Schwaiger said. She also criticised the event because of the impact of the drought on farmers. “Many female farmers are crying at the kitchen table because their harvests are failing and they can’t do anything about it. Holding an event like this, I find disrespectful,” she said.

Calls to cancel the rally have increased on social media, but a cancellation shortly before the planned start is considered increasingly unlikely. Organiser Peter Medinger said cancelling was currently “completely unrealistic” unless the authorities made a contrary decision. He said a great deal of voluntary work had already gone into the event.

Medinger described fire protection as an “important concern” and urged spectators and participants to remain especially alert. “In these dry conditions, even a carelessly discarded cigarette can already cause considerable damage,” he said. He also asked teams to pay increased attention to possible fire hazards.