ST. EGYDEN AM STEINFELD, Austria / RankWire.AI / – A major forest fire has prompted urgent action from emergency teams in Lower Austria. On Friday, authorities issued compulsory evacuation orders after a rapidly spreading blaze broke out in the Föhrenwald pine forest near St. Egyden am Steinfeld. Confirming the severity, local officials reported that the wildfire approached residential areas within 50 meters, triggering the highest emergency alert level, B4. Civil defense teams prioritized evacuating residents along Bahnstraße and within the Waldstrandsiedlung housing complex.
Coordination between municipal authorities and regional disaster response agencies led to the safe evacuation of at least 250 residents from the danger zone. St. Egyden Mayor Christa Tisch stated that emergency personnel evacuated six homes on Bahnstraße and 50 units across five apartment buildings in Waldstrandsiedlung. Those displaced were moved to a temporary shelter set up at the Saubersdorf volunteer fire station, where humanitarian teams provided crisis assistance and essential supplies.
More than 700 firefighters from 84 regional fire departments across Neunkirchen and Wiener Neustadt districts responded swiftly. They worked alongside specialized aerial units, utilizing five police helicopters, two private aircraft, and a Black Hawk military helicopter supplied by the Austrian Armed Forces. The Austrian Red Cross deployed 44 emergency personnel and 21 vehicles to support evacuation efforts and assist affected families.
Emergency Teams Activate Level B4 Alert in Lower Austria Amid Fires
This incident marks the second significant fire in the Föhrenwald area within just two weeks, following a previous 100-hectare forest blaze that required five days of suppression. Local disaster officials confirmed the new ignition occurred on the opposite side of the forest, with strong winds carrying thick smoke across transit corridors. Authorities issued warnings to motorists to avoid main roads near Neunkirchen to ensure unobstructed access for emergency vehicles.
Klaus Stebal, spokesperson for the Lower Austrian State Fire Department Association, confirmed that emergency teams established a containment perimeter around the fire to stop its spread. Responders also tackled smaller fires that ignited spontaneously in neighboring towns like Strelzhof and Netting. Officials emphasized strict operational shifts to prevent ground crews from exceeding 12 hours of active effort during intense suppression operations.
Emergency Medical Teams Report No Injuries During First Response
Preliminary investigations are underway by law enforcement to identify the cause of the afternoon fire ignition. Authorities noted that the earlier wildfire in Föhrenwald was caused by leftover World War II phosphorus ammunition buried beneath the forest floor. Although no direct connection between the two incidents has been established, dry environmental conditions across Lower Austria continue to heighten wildfire risks.
Throughout Friday evening, emergency teams kept watch along the forest perimeter to secure nearby neighborhoods. Civil defense officials confirmed that no injuries occurred among residents or first responders during the primary evacuation. Experts from forestry and technical engineering teams are expected to carry out perimeter stabilization and hot-spot suppression operations in the days ahead.