Alpine Natural Hazards after Wildfires

Workshop: Alpine Natural Hazards after Wildfires

On 25–26 April 2025, the 2nd Alpine Workshop on Fire-induced Geohydrological Processes in Mountainous Areas was held at BOKU Vienna. Ivo Baselt from the Mountain River Research Group at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich contributed with a presentation titled:

"Shared mechanisms and risks: Parallels between post-wildfire debris flows and extreme runoff over frozen soil."

The workshop focused on the growing importance of natural hazard processes following wildfires in mountainous regions. In particular, post-wildfire debris flows - mass movements triggered by the loss of vegetation cover and soil stability after fires - were highlighted as a key future research topic. While such hazard processes have already been extensively studied and integrated into natural hazard management in regions like the USA (with a contribution by Francis Rengers from the US Geological Survey), they are becoming increasingly relevant in the European Alps as well. Climate change, through more frequent and intense fire events, is significantly altering the risk landscape even in alpine protected areas.

The workshop brought together experts from Europe, North America, and Oceania, offering a valuable platform for sharing current research findings and discussing new approaches to dealing with these dynamic natural hazards.

More information about the workshop series can be found at: firegeocascadenetwork.com

^{Fig.: Experts at the meeting in Vienna at the Boku University, Institute for Mountain Risk Management}

^{Picture: R. Kaitna, 2025}