Klagenfurt flight police see 400 percent rise in fire missions

The flight police unit based at Klagenfurt Airport recorded about 400 percent more forest-fire operations this year than last year, ORF reported. The team also responded to more security-policing, search and rescue missions.

Seven pilots and 14 flight operators are stationed at the base. The operators are trained as flight rescuers and mountain guides for police work, and the team operates two Interior Ministry helicopters.

Forest fires, particularly those in and around Carinthia, put the crew under heavy pressure. In the Lesachtal, helicopters brought in from other Austrian states joined the effort, with crews working for several days and flying millions of litres of water to the fires. The unit also carried out overnight monitoring flights using thermal cameras.

Up to 40 forest fires were recorded. The unit’s operations include about 20 percent forest-fire missions, 30 percent criminal-police work such as searches for suspects, and 50 percent security-policing tasks, including general assistance, according to pilot Klaus Jäger.

The Klagenfurt team averages three missions a day and remains on call around the clock. Its work also includes rescuing hikers and supporting searches. Klagenfurt is one of three main flight-police bases in Austria and also hosts training. Between 150 and 300 people apply each year, but few pass the selection process. Five pilots are currently undertaking the four-year training programme.