Firefighters Have No Rest Even on Sunday Due to Gusts and Wind
Published: Sunday, Jul 23rd 2023, 18:00
Updated At: Friday, Oct 13th 2023, 14:12
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On Sunday, the many hot spots and the increasing wind prevented a break in the operations in the Oberwalliser forest fire area. According to the leadership team, three firefighting helicopters were ultimately in use. On Saturday, the responsible parties had announced that the forces would rest on Sunday. The surveillance with thermal imaging cameras was suspended over the weekend, but some of the forces were on standby for deployment. Early Sunday morning, a fire broke out on an area of half a football field above the village of Oberried. The fire brigade was able to extinguish the flames in a three-hour operation with the help of a helicopter. As a result, the command of the leadership team decided to lift the Sunday rest phase. From 8 a.m., a second helicopter was in use, from 2 p.m. a third. Ground teams with about ten personnel each, led by a forest worker and with a flight controller, coordinated the precise drop of water on the hottest hot spots and the recurring, smaller fires using the thermal data of the army. According to the leadership team's statement on Sunday, this form of firefighting should continue on Monday - with five ground teams and two to three helicopters. The aim is to eliminate hot spots and prevent the spread of the fire to undamaged forest areas. The leadership team also reported on Sunday that fortunately no disturbing onlookers had been observed on the reopened roads. In addition, the support of the population for the forces is becoming increasingly greater. Volunteers prepared raclette for them and at an information event in Riederalp and Bitsch there was a standing ovation for them. The forest fire broke out on Monday evening, after which more than 200 people were evacuated. 150 were able to return to their homes on Tuesday. The permanent residents of the village of Oberried were allowed to return to their homes on Saturday evening - and stay there, after the road from Ried-Mörel was reopened by the canton of Wallis. Chalet owners in the area were able to return from Sunday morning, but had to leave again by midnight at the latest. The aim is to limit the number of people in the danger zone, according to the authorities.
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