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In southern Europe, the emergency services continue to fight countless devastating forest fires. They are now getting help from Vienna: Twelve firefighters set out for North Macedonia on Wednesday evening.
12.08.2021 06.01
Online since today, 6:01 a.m.
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There are eight men from the Viennese professional fire brigade and four from the disaster relief service of the Vienna State Fire Brigade Association. They are now deployed in North Macedonia near the Bulgarian border. A huge forest fire is raging there – over an area of around 30 square kilometers.
“Of course it is a great feeling when you can simply help the population there with international missions,” says professional firefighter Lukas Derkits in “Wien heute”, describing his motives for registering for the special mission. “When the wind changes, it can be dangerous. You have to assess and assess the situation correctly, ”describes Alfred Huber from the Disaster Relief Service. “Of course that is a situation that you don’t have every day, especially not in the big city.”
Extinguishing water has to be in impassable terrain
The firefighters from Vienna support units from Lower Austria and Styria in North Macedonia, which have been in the fire area for a few days with over 40 vehicles and equipment. North Macedonia made an international request for assistance. The local fire brigade are completely overwhelmed with the situation. Many localities there are threatened by the flames, explains state fire brigade commander Gerald Hillinger.
Vienna fire brigade helps in North Macedonia
Twelve firefighters from Vienna make their way to North Macedonia to help against the devastating forest fires. There you support local workers and colleagues from Lower Austria.
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On the one hand, extinguishing water now has to be brought into impassable terrain, says Jürgen Figerl, press and information officer of the professional fire brigade: “That is a great challenge.” To fight embers. ”An end to the Austrian aid mission is not planned for the time being. According to the fire brigade, over 50 other firefighters from Vienna have reported for this relief effort.
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