Fire Database

Since 2008, the Institute of Silviculture at BOKU University, Vienna, has been analyzing the occurrence, distribution, causes and characteristics of forest fires in Austria as part of various research projects. The data series spans several decades and includes around 8000 fires, of which around 7000 are forest fires. The last 20 years are the best documented. The Institute of Silviculture has created the web GIS platform “Fire Database”, which is freely accessible and allows interested parties to query forest fire events and generate statistics or graphics.

Most forest fires are recorded in spring and summer. Parts of Carinthia, Tyrol, Styria and southern Lower Austria are particularly frequently affected by forest fires. In most cases, the cause of the fire is human behavior, such as an out-of-control fire, a carelessly discarded cigarette or hot ash. In the summer months, lightning induced fires also play a significant role. Several forest fires have been investigated as case studies to analyze the fire behavior, the mortality of the affected trees and the regeneration of forest stands.

Anyone who would like to actively participate as a citizen scientist in forest fire research can do so via the mobile app spotFIRE, which was launched in 2024. spotFIRE is available for Android, iOS and as a web version and enables the on-site documentation of wildfires. In addition, spotFIRE can be used to record the forest structure and fuel quantities. With their participation, citizen scientists support the continuation of the forest fire database and enable scientists to make better estimates of forest fire behavior in Austria.

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). 

Links

• spotFIRE App
• 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 2003-2024 (reported via Fire-Database) Number of forest fires 2003-2024 (reported via Fire-Database)
• Distribution of forest fires over the year (totals from 2003-2024; reported via Fire-Database) Distribution of forest fires over the year (totals from 2003-2024; reported via Fire-Database)
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This project fulfils version 1.1 of the quality criteria for citizen science projects on Österreich forscht.