In Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, railway sleepers caught fire near Hidasnemeti, close to the M30 motorway, and a 25-hectare blaze broke out in Alsovadasz, where acacia scrubland ignited. Firefighters from Miskolc, Szendro, and other local units are working to contain the flames, hampered by strong winds.

In Pest County, a three-hectare fire broke out near Erd, fueled by dry leaves. Budapest and Erd firefighters are tackling the blaze with water jets and motorised sprayers.

In Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, dry grass and leaves ignited in Tiszavasvari, affecting about one hectare. Hajdunanas professional firefighters and local volunteers are on the scene.

In Veszprem County, a bushfire near Hajmasker and Petfurdo forced the closure of the main road 8 and suspended rail traffic between Szekesfehervar and Veszprem.

Replacement buses are operating, but delays of up to 1.5 hours are expected. Power lines have also been damaged, and electricity crews are en route.

A separate blaze in Varpalota engulfed several hectares of grassland and two press houses, with firefighters from multiple towns responding. One person was rescued from a building.

An army helicopter is assisting in extinguishing the fire near Osku, a village in Veszprem County, western Hungary, the National Directorate General for Disaster Management said on Wednesday afternoon.

The fire, which broke out on Wednesday afternoon between Osku and Hajmasker, has already affected 15 hectares, destroyed two outbuildings in Osku, and prompted residents to help defend their homes.

Daniel Mukics said the helicopter, deployed from Szolnok, can drop 2,000–2,500 litres of water per sortie on areas difficult for ground units to access. He added that 45 firefighters with 13 vehicles are currently working at the scene.

Not far from there, on the other side of main road 8 between Soly and Osku, another fire broke out, affecting several hectares of pine forest undergrowth and, in places, treetops.

Thirty-five firefighters with 13 vehicles are tackling this blaze, he added.

Mukics also said that a large area of grassland, scrub, and bushes, as well as press houses, caught fire in the Szephegy area on the outskirts of Varpalota.

Firefighters rescued one person from a balcony of one of the buildings. About 40 firefighters with 12 vehicles worked to extinguish the fire, and mop-up operations are still under way.

Meanwhile, in Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, railway sleepers caught fire near Hidasnemeti, close to the M30 motorway, and a 25-hectare blaze broke out in Alsovadasz, where acacia scrubland ignited.

Firefighters from Miskolc, Szendro, and other local units are working to contain the flames, hampered by strong winds.

In Pest County, a three-hectare fire broke out near Erd, fueled by dry leaves. Budapest and Erd firefighters are tackling the blaze with water jets and motorised sprayers.

In Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, dry grass and leaves ignited in Tiszavasvari, affecting about one hectare. Hajdunanas professional firefighters and local volunteers are on the scene.

In Veszprem County, a bushfire near Hajmasker and Petfurdo forced the closure of the main road 8 and suspended rail traffic between Szekesfehervar and Veszprem.

Replacement buses are operating, but delays of up to 1.5 hours are expected. Power lines have also been damaged, and electricity crews are en route.

A separate blaze in Varpalota engulfed several hectares of grassland and two press houses, with firefighters from multiple towns responding. One person was rescued from a building.

Multiple Counties in Hungary Battling Heatwave Fires

Firefighters are battling stubble, forest and scrub fires caused by the drought resulting from the heatwave in several counties throughout Hungary, the disaster management authority OKF said on its website.

A logging area of around 3,000 square metres caught fire between Kunbaracs and Kunadacs in Bacs-Kiskun county, in southern Hungary.

Alongside the professional fire brigades from Kecskemet and Dabas, and the municipal fire brigade from Kerekegyhaza, the professional fire brigade from Cegled used heavy machinery to extinguish the fire.

Trees, bushes and twigs are burning in patches across a large area on the outskirts of Karcag, in central-eastern Hungary. Professional firefighters from Karcag, Puspokladany, Tiszafured and Szeghalom, and volunteer firefighters from Fuzesgyarmat, have arrived at the scene, where the fire is threatening the woodland.

A water tanker from the Berettyoujfalu professional fire brigade and the disaster management operations service are also attending the incident.

Dry grass and a scrubby, bushy area have caught fire in Tatabanya, in central-western Hungary. The fire, which has spread over several hectares in the difficult-to-access area, is being extinguished by the town's professional firefighters. The operation is being coordinated by the Komarom-Esztergom County disaster management service.

Fallen leaves, dry stubble, reeds and forest undergrowth caught fire on the outskirts of Tiszalok, in north-eastern Hungary.

The fire affected a large area and was extinguished by professional firefighters from Nyiregyhaza and Tiszaujvaros, as well as by the Tiszavasvari municipal fire brigade.

Clean-up work is still ongoing between Erd and Szazhalombatta, south of Budapest, where last Tuesday stubble, round bales and 30,000 cubic metres of compost caught fire.

With the help of heavy machinery, the fire was prevented from spreading further.

Firefighters responded to nearly 400 outdoor fires nationwide since the latest heat alert was declared on July 30, the deputy spokesperson of the National Disaster Management Directorate told MTI on Tuesday.

On Monday alone, firefighters were called out 96 times due to fires in fields, scrubland, and forests ignited by the heatwave, Imre Doka said. Eight people have been injured in outdoor fires so far this year, he added.

MTI learned that the fires have also claimed a life. On Monday, dry vegetation caught fire in Zsennye, Vas County, and the blaze spread to a nearby forested area. A man attempted to contain the fire before firefighters arrived but was so severely injured that he had to be airlifted to hospital, where he later died.

Several counties battling stubble, scrub fires caused by heatwave

Firefighters are battling stubble, forest and scrub fires caused by the drought resulting from the heatwave in Bacs-Kiskun, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Fejer and Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg counties, the disaster management authority OKF said on its website on Thursday.

Five hectares of fallow land caught fire in Bacs-Kiskun County, in southern Hungary, between Kiskunfelegyhaza and Kunszallas, near the M5 motorway.

The fire also affected a farm building, a wooded area and railway sleepers. Professional firefighters from Kiskunfelegyhaza and Kecskemet, supported by other units, have contained the flames.

Dry grass and forest undergrowth are burning on the outskirts of Bodrogolaszi in Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen County, in north-east Hungary, near the 37 main road.

The fire is affecting an area of approximately thirty hectares. Professional firefighters from Satoraljaujhely, Szerencs and Tolcsva are working to contain the flames using multiple water jets.

Undergrowth has caught fire in Ercsi, Fejer County, in central Hungary. The fire has affected an area of approximately one and a half hectares.

Professional firefighters from Erd and Pusztaszabolcs, as well as volunteer firefighters from Martonvásár, are working to bring the flames under control. A water tanker from Szigetszentmiklos is also assisting firefighters.

A wooded area has caught fire near the north-eastern Hungarian town of Tiszalok.

Professional firefighters from Nyiregyhaza and Hajdunanas, along with the municipal fire brigade from Tiszavasvar, are working to bring the flames under control.

Update: DefMin: Army helicopters aid fire-fighting in NE Hungary

Army helicopters are taking part in extinguishing a fire in Dedestapolcsany, in north-eastern Hungary, where the undergrowth is burning across approximately one hundred hectares, with the flames having spread to the forest in several places, the defence ministry's press office said on Wednesday.

The disaster management authorities requested aerial support from the armed forces to extinguish the fire after it was no longer possible to reach the scene by fire engine, the statement said.

Military helicopters are on their way to the scene and will shortly begin extinguishing the fire, it said. Additionally, the helicopters will also assist in extinguishing a fire in Szekesfehervar, in central-western Hungary, if necessary, the statement added.

Photo: Kecskeméti Televízió's video screenshot

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881.

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