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Fires Break Out One After Another. Firefighters Warn of a Repeat of the 2014 Disaster
Increased risk due to climate change. Fot. Adobe Stock, licencja standardowa (zdjęcie poglądowe)
The number of wildfires in Norway is rising sharply. Since the beginning of the year, there have been over ten times more fires than at the same time last year. The fire department warns of a repeat of the 2014 disaster and urges people to stop burning heather fields.
In the same period last year, there were only five fires. The data comes from brannstatistikk.no. Firefighters point to exceptionally difficult weather conditions and fear more dangerous incidents.
Record Number of Fires and Difficult Conditions
At the beginning of February, a fire broke out in Karmøy that got out of control. The blaze covered several thousand ares of land. Units from two fire stations and a firefighting helicopter were dispatched to the scene. The operation aimed to prevent the fire from spreading to forests and buildings.
Dag Botnen, chief of the Haugaland fire department, points to three factors: it is very dry, the air humidity is exceptionally low, and strong winds are blowing. Such conditions have not been recorded since 2014. In Ørland, Trøndelag, the fire covered 4.5 square kilometers. The cause was playing with a lighter. The fire spread up a slope and toward buildings, and several people were evacuated.
The old E6 route, Kongsvegen, which runs right next to a burned warehouse, was also closed. The road is within a 300-meter safety zone designated by the authorities. Police and firefighters emphasize that the decision is related to the risk of undetected acetylene cylinders exploding. Traffic will not resume until the cylinders are found or the threat is completely eliminated.
Since 2016, there have not been so many fires at this time of year. On February 4, six fires broke out in the Vestland region in one day. The fire department described this as an unusually high number of incidents.
Dag Botnen, chief of the Haugaland fire department, points to three factors: it is very dry, the air humidity is exceptionally low, and strong winds are blowing. Such conditions have not been recorded since 2014. In Ørland, Trøndelag, the fire covered 4.5 square kilometers. The cause was playing with a lighter. The fire spread up a slope and toward buildings, and several people were evacuated.
The old E6 route, Kongsvegen, which runs right next to a burned warehouse, was also closed. The road is within a 300-meter safety zone designated by the authorities. Police and firefighters emphasize that the decision is related to the risk of undetected acetylene cylinders exploding. Traffic will not resume until the cylinders are found or the threat is completely eliminated.
Since 2016, there have not been so many fires at this time of year. On February 4, six fires broke out in the Vestland region in one day. The fire department described this as an unusually high number of incidents.
Firefighters assess the risk level daily.Photo: flickr.com / OBRE Oslo Brann- og redningsetat / CC BY-SA 2.0
Appeal to Stop Burning
In 2014, Flatanger in Trøndelag experienced the largest fire in Norway since World War II. Sixty-four buildings burned down. The fire started on January 27 with burning heather fields. Firefighters do not want a repeat of those events.
In recent weeks, Rogaland and Vestland have been under a yellow warning for grass and heather fires. On February 9, the warning was extended to the Møre og Romsdal coast. The Haugaland Fire and Rescue Association recommends a complete halt to burning in the region. Botnen emphasizes that not only vegetation is dry, but also building facades. The fire department urges caution. Responsibility for the fire lies with the person who starts it.
In Øygarden, all unorganized forms of burning have been suspended. For now, only organized burning is allowed, provided there is no wind.
In recent weeks, Rogaland and Vestland have been under a yellow warning for grass and heather fires. On February 9, the warning was extended to the Møre og Romsdal coast. The Haugaland Fire and Rescue Association recommends a complete halt to burning in the region. Botnen emphasizes that not only vegetation is dry, but also building facades. The fire department urges caution. Responsibility for the fire lies with the person who starts it.
In Øygarden, all unorganized forms of burning have been suspended. For now, only organized burning is allowed, provided there is no wind.
Usually, firefighting helicopters are only on standby from April. This year, they were already involved in operations in western Norway during the winter. Firefighters point out that similar periods of drought may occur more frequently with climate change. This means the elevated risk may persist in the coming weeks.
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