Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (Dec 2019)

Brief communication: Post-wildfire rockfall risk in the eastern Alps

  • S. Melzner,
  • N. Shtober-Zisu,
  • O. Katz,
  • L. Wittenberg

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-19-2879-2019
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19
pp. 2879 – 2885

Abstract

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In the eastern Alps, no previous research focused on the impact of wildfires on the occurrence of rockfalls. The investigation of wildfires and post-wildfire rockfalls gains new importance with respect to changes in weather extremes and rapid social developments such as population growth and tourism. The present work describes a wildfire that occurred in August 2018 in a famous world heritage site in Austria. Indicators of fire severity and rockfall occurrence during and after the fire are described.