SHARE
COPY LINK

WEATHER

Weather alert: ‘Extremely high risk’ of wildfires in parts of Sweden

Sweden’s weather agency warned of an “extreme” risk of forest fires in parts of the country, as helicopters were called in to water bomb a blaze south of Stockholm.

Weather alert: 'Extremely high risk' of wildfires in parts of Sweden
File photo of a firefighting helicopter. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT

SMHI on Tuesday warned of a high or very high risk of forest fires in south-eastern Sweden, including areas such as Uppsala, Stockholm, Örebro, Norrköping, Jönköping, Karlskrona and Gotland. Locally, the agency described the risk as “extremely high”.

There’s also a high or very high risk of grass fires in parts of Norrland.

On Tuesday morning, firefighters used helicopters to drop water on a forest blaze between Hemfosa and Träsksjön in Haninge municipality south of Stockholm.

It was not known how the fire started. Fire crews were called out to fight it on Monday evening, and by noon on Tuesday most of it had been extinguished. No one was injured.

Fire bans are currently in place in large parts of the Blekinge, Kronoberg, Gotland, Västmanland, Stockholm and Uppsala regions.

The bans are issued by county administrative boards and the rules may vary, but a standard fire ban usually means that you are not allowed to light any fires, other than barbecues in your own garden or at a fixed grill site.

You can keep up to date with SMHI’s weather alerts here and fire bans here.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

WEATHER

Weather agency warns of further forest fire risk across Sweden

Sweden's weather agency SMHI has extended its weather warnings for grass and forest fires which now cover most of the country. Fire bans are in place in many areas.

Weather agency warns of further forest fire risk across Sweden

The risk for forest fires is now “very high” in many areas of southern Sweden, the agency warns, with an “extremely high” risk of forest fires in eastern Götaland, an area in the southeast of the country encompassing cities such as Linköping and Vimmerby.

In the north of Sweden, many areas have a high or very high risk of grass fires as last year’s dead grass is exposed by melting snow before new grass has time to take its place.

“Great care should be taken when lighting fires outside,” the agency writes, adding that fire bans are in place in many areas.

See a list of current fire bans in place here. Areas in green have no fire ban in place, while red or orange areas have either a fire ban or a “strict fire ban” in place.

During a fire ban, you are not permitted to light a fire with wood, coal, grass, branches or similar in any forest area, non-built up area or area where a fire could spread to a forest or other terrain.

You are allowed to grill or barbecue on your own property as long as the grill is in a suitable area so that there is a low risk of a fire spreading – for example, if the grill is placed on a heat-resistant surface. The same applies to restaurants or other commercial businesses on their own premises.

You are also permitted to grill in fixed barbecue areas in public parks, such as barbecue areas built in fireproof materials and surrounded by gravel or similar.

According to the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, the fire risk is likely to increase throughout the week, peaking on Sunday.

SHOW COMMENTS