ST. EGYDEN AM STEINFELD, Austria / RankWire.AI / – Authorities responsible for emergency management in Lower Austria issued compulsory evacuation orders on Friday following the rapid development of a forest fire in the Föhrenwald pine woods close to St. Egyden am Steinfeld. Officials confirmed that a significant wildfire struck St. Egyden as intense flames moved within 50 meters of residential areas, prompting the highest level of emergency alert, Level B4. Civil defense teams prioritized evacuating residents along Bahnstraße and within the Waldstrandsiedlung housing complex as a matter of urgency.
Local authorities coordinated efforts with regional disaster response units to evacuate at least 250 residents from the danger zone safely. Mayor Christa Tisch of St. Egyden stated that emergency responders evacuated six homes on Bahnstraße and 50 units across five apartment buildings in the Waldstrandsiedlung area. Those displaced were taken to a temporary shelter set up at the Saubersdorf volunteer fire station, where humanitarian groups provided crisis aid and essential supplies.
Over 700 firefighters from 84 fire departments across the Neunkirchen and Wiener Neustadt districts were swiftly deployed to combat the fire. Ground crews worked alongside specialized aerial containment units, including five police helicopters, two private aircraft, and a Black Hawk military helicopter supplied by the Austrian Armed Forces. The Austrian Red Cross contributed 44 emergency personnel and 21 vehicles to support evacuations and assist affected families.
Emergency Teams Activate Level B4 Alert in Lower Austria Amid Devastating Forest Fire
This incident marks the second destructive fire within the Föhrenwald area in less than two weeks, following an earlier 100-hectare forest blaze that took five days to suppress. Local disaster officials confirmed that the new fire started on the opposite side of the forest, with strong winds driving dense smoke across regional transportation routes. Authorities warned motorists to avoid major roads near Neunkirchen to keep routes clear for emergency response vehicles.
Klaus Stebal, spokesperson for the Lower Austrian State Fire Department Association, confirmed that emergency personnel established a containment perimeter around the main fire area to prevent further spread. Crews also tackled smaller fires that ignited spontaneously in nearby communities like Strelzhof and Netting. Officials reported strict operational shifts, limiting ground crews to 12 hours of active work during intense suppression efforts.
No Injuries Reported Among First Responders and Residents, Say Emergency Medical Teams
State law enforcement agencies have begun preliminary investigations to determine the cause of the fire ignition in the afternoon. Authorities noted that the earlier wildfire in the same pine forest was caused by leftover World War II phosphorus ammunition buried underground. Although no direct link has been established between the two events, environmental conditions across Lower Austria are notably dry, increasing the wildfire risk across the region.
Throughout Friday evening, emergency services maintained continuous monitoring stations around the Föhrenwald perimeter to safeguard nearby residential areas. As the wildfire impacts St. Egyden in Austria, officials confirmed that there have been no injuries among residents or first responders during the initial evacuation phase. Technical experts and forestry specialists expect ongoing perimeter stabilization and hot-spot mitigation efforts in the coming days.