Forest fires in Sweden overwhelm firefighters

DOZENS of forest wildfires raged across Sweden yesterday, prompting Stockholm to ask for emergency EU help to fight the blazes that broke out during an extreme heatwave in the Nordic region.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency said two Italian firefighting aircraft had been sent to assist in badly-hit areas of central Sweden, while Norway had also dispatched six helicopters.

Swedish authorities said there were 37 fires raging across the country yesterday, urging locals living close to the blazes in the central counties of Gavleborg, Jamtland and Dalarna to evacuate. Even northern Swedish Lapland, inside the Arctic Circle, has been affected.

Five wildfires were burning yesterday in the forests outside the town of Jokkmokk, a popular tourist destination in the winter.

“The last time we saw wildfires of this calibre was 12 years ago,” Jokkmokk rescue officer Thomas Andersson said.

MSB said it had asked the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for more firefighting planes in addition to those sent from Italy.

“The drought has led to a large amount of simultaneous fires in the forests and land,” emergency services company SOS Alarm said.

Said rescue officer Torbjorn Wannqvist: “This is not looking good, it’s burning uncontrollably and spreading quickly.”