[4] Many people were evacuated from their homes,[5] but there were no fatalities. SAS airline republish controversial video advert, EU Commision: Forest fires struck in more European countries than ever before last year, Strike-hit SAS cancels 1,200 more flights on Monday and Tuesday. [5], In addition to the country's firefighters and civilian volunteers, Sweden's armed forces were involved, mostly providing manpower and equipment such as helicopters. However, the Swedish firefighter federation said they still had too small a workforce for the holiday season. According to the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, the risk of fire was unusually high for the time of year. Please contact us to get started with full access to dossiers, forecasts, studies and international data. 2019 Canary Islands wildfires, Spain; Asia. Norway: Arctic summer 2019: record heat, dramatic ice loss and raging wildfires, ... Sweden: Study on Swedish wildfires shows how to make forests rise from the ashes, Radio Sweden. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Sweden is fighting its most serious wildfires in decades, including blazes above the Arctic Circle, prompting the government to seek help from the military, hundreds of volunteers and other European nations. (April 3, 2019). Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. facts. Various pre-season forest fires already burning in Sweden and Norway have authorities worried that it might be another “summer of ashes” in Scandinavia this year. In 2019, over 7,860 wildfires have been recorded in California. Events during the season include the following: Africa. As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail. Arctic wildfires, some the size of 100,000 football pitches, emitted as much carbon dioxide (CO2) last month as the country of Sweden does in a whole year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Friday. In Alaska this year, over $150 million was spent on suppression and protection efforts against wildfires burning closer to populated areas, according to researchers. [18] It is highly unusual for areas of this size to be affected by wildfires (both individual fires and total size of all), but historically there have been larger, notably in 1888 where 2,000 km2 (770 sq mi) burned. A paid subscription is required for full access. 2019 Bandipur forest fires, India; Goseong Fire of 2019, South Korea; 2019 Siberia wildfires, Russia; 2019 Vietnam forest fires [9][24] Combined with firefighting, this meant that fires generally were reduced, although new ones continued to appear. [28][29][30][31], Scandinavia temperature anomaly map, July 1–15, 2018 (NASA), "French soldiers land in Sweden to battle wildfire inferno", "What you need to know about Sweden's historic wildfire outbreak", "Så tog bränderna över den svenska sommaren", "EU nations help Sweden as wildfires rage above Arctic Circle", "Wildfires have ignited inside the Arctic Circle", "Sweden rushes firefighting aircraft to tackle fast-spreading wildfires", "Record-breaking heat hits Norway, Finland and Sweden", "Grillar orsaken till flera bränder i helgen", "Två skogsbränder härjar i Värmland – franska flyg hjälper till", "Dozens of wildfires are raging across Sweden", "In pictures: Fighting the Swedish wildfires", "250 km2 skov er brændt. [6][13][14], The first significant wildfires in Sweden were recorded in May,[15] and by 23 July there were more than fifty,[1][16] covering 250 km2 (100 sq mi). From 2008 to 2017, the largest number of annual wildfires … Statista. The Swedish news agency TT said the blazes had devoured woodlands valued at … Scientists say the smoke plumes, filled with megatons of tiny, harmful particles, could travel to other areas of the world and cause serious respiratory problems for people. It is forecast to reach Alaska, where fires have scorched an area larger than the wildfire damage in California last year. As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic. [8][9] As of mid-July, temperatures in Scandinavia were more than 10 °C (18 °F) above normal. [27], In March, several wildfires occurred in the south of Sweden. However, this year's unprecedented wildfire season has changed that, as fires burn hotter, more frequently, and deeper into the ground, destroying trees and their ability to reproduce. Sweden's civil protection agency says the country needs more water-dropping capacity to fight serious wildfires like the ones last year and improve cooperation between the rescue services. (2019). This content is not available in your region, Sweden and Norway 'concerned' by unusual pre-season forest fires, Sakharov Prize 2020: Belarus' opposition wins EU human rights award, Is anything quintessentially Scandinavian? All rights reserved. But the lack of rain and higher than usual temperatures are not helping. Last year nearly 25,000 hectares of land was ravaged by fires in Sweden. The Scandinavian region saw temperatures over 32 C (90 F) over the summer.