Fire Database

In the Institute of Silviculture at the BOKU University, the occurrence, spread, causes and characteristics of forest fires in Austria have been analysed as part of various research projects since 2008. The array stretches back over several decades and includes approximately 8,000 fires, more than 7,000 of which were categorised as forest fires. The majority of forest fires were recorded in spring and summer. Parts of Carinthia, Tyrol, Styria, and the southern regions of Lower Austria were comparably highly affected by forest fires. Most of the fires were caused by human actions. These were either direct, caused by an out-of-control fire, or indirect, e.g. by a carelessly discarded cigarette. In the summer months, fires caused by lightning also play a role as they make up 40 % of the total. Many forest fires are investigated in more detail as case studies in order to analyse fire behaviour, the mortality of individual trees affected and the regeneration of forests. Increased attention is also being paid to the processing of forest fires before the year 2000.

In spring 2013, the Institute of Silviculture created an online platform that enables easy collection and analysis of forest fires that is not dependent on systems. The “Fire Database” web GIS application is available for free and allows interested members of the public to scan forest fire incidents and create statistics or graphics. Similarly, current or past forest fires can be recorded through an online entry form.

Podcast episode

In June 2023, project coordinator Mortimer Müller was guest on the Österreich forscht podcast Wissen macht Leute - you can listen to the episode here (in German). 

Citizen Science Seminar

In 2021, poject coordinator Harald Vacik held a lecture about "Fire Database" as part of the lecture series "Citizen Science Seminar" at BOKU University: "Challenges of forest fire research in the alpine region" (in German). At the bottom of this page you can watch the video recording of the lecture.

Links

• Forest Fire Database Austria
• Forest Fire blog Austria
• Forest fire research at BOKU
• European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS)

• Cloud of smoke from the forest fire near Neunkirchen, Lower Austria, on 1st August 2013 Cloud of smoke from the forest fire near Neunkirchen, Lower Austria, on 1st August 2013
• Forest fire near Neunkirchen, Lower Austria, on 1st August 2013 Forest fire near Neunkirchen, Lower Austria, on 1st August 2013
• Damage caused by the forest fire near Neunkirchen (1) Damage caused by the forest fire near Neunkirchen (1)
• Damage caused by the forest fire near Neunkirchen (2) Damage caused by the forest fire near Neunkirchen (2)
• Damage caused by the forest fire near Neunkirchen (3) Damage caused by the forest fire near Neunkirchen (3)
• Damage caused by the forest fire near Neunkirchen (4) Damage caused by the forest fire near Neunkirchen (4)
• Number of forest fires 1994-2014 (reported via Fire-Database) Number of forest fires 1994-2014 (reported via Fire-Database)
• Distribution of forest fires over the year (totals from the years 1994-2014; reported via Fire-Database) Distribution of forest fires over the year (totals from the years 1994-2014; reported via Fire-Database)
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