Outdoor fire

Earlier this week, the Hungarian Defense Forces assisted in battling wildfires in Veszprém County, all classified as Level 5 emergencies. The fires broke out in nearby areas on the same day. Military helicopters made 22 water drops to help battle the wildfires, which affected nearly 190 hectares of land, the National Directorate General for Disaster Management (OKF) said.Around noon Wednesday, a fire broke out on the outskirts of Várpalota (western Hungary, Veszprém County), where about 15 hectares of grass, dry vegetation and stubble burned, while two wine cellars also caught fire. Firefighters rescued one person from the upper floor of one of the buildings using a ladder. Twelve firefighting vehicles and 40 firefighters were involved in battling the blaze, with local residents also helping. At the Várpalota fire, three military Rába water tankers were deployed to support firefighting operations.
About an hour later, another fire broke out near the railroad tracks in neighboring Öskü.The blaze burned through about 15 hectares of dry grassland and threatened nearby homes.
Residents also helped protect their properties, while disaster management crews responded with 13 vehicles and 40 firefighters.
The fire at Öskü spread toward Hajmáskér and eventually reached Sóly. Train service between Székesfehérvár and Veszprém was suspended because of the fire, while the affected section of Route 8 was also closed.Not long afterward, another fire broke out on the other side of Route 8, near Sóly.It eventually affected approximately 160 hectares of dry grass, stubble, pine forest and brush. Thirty-five firefighters with 13 vehicles worked at the site, while two military helicopters were deployed to fight the fire in areas that were difficult to reach from the ground.Two Hungarian military H225M helicopters took part in the firefighting operation, equipped with Bambi Bucket systems.The two helicopters made 22 water drops, delivering a total of 44,000 liters of water to the fires.The mission was successfully completed. Three military water tanker trucks were also dispatched to support the operation.Professional, municipal and volunteer firefighters, as well as local residents and civil guards, took part in the firefighting effort. Heavy machinery was also used to help contain the flames.
The National Directorate General for Disaster Management said that
10,300 outdoor fires have been reported in Hungary so far this year, burning approximately 109 million square meters of land.Three people have died and 73 have required medical treatment as a result of outdoor fires this year. Firefighters responded to 118 outdoor fires across the country on Wednesday alone. Authorities emphasized that a nationwide fire ban has been in effect since the end of June.