In large parts of the country there is now a great danger of forest fires. Last week alone, a double-digit number of fires broke out. The danger warning at the orange level applies until there is a significant amount of rain. That is, over 20 millimeters. There has been some rainfall in recent days, but this is not enough, according to the meteorologist. – We should have a proper root canal. We haven’t had that yet, says meteorologist Eldbjørg Moxnes. We need more rain to reduce the risk of forest fires, says meteorologist Eldbjørg Moxnes. Photo: Private Continued risk of forest fires The weather station in Østre Toten is the one that has received the most rainfall in southern Norway in the last 24 hours, with 21.4 millimeters. Etne in Vestland with 19.9 mm, while Sande in Vestfold has received 14.7 millimeters. Moxnes says that the precipitation only draws down parts of the dry surface. When there is a pause between the showers, it will dry up again. – Although some rain showers are also expected on Tuesday, it will not be enough to dampen anything in particular. Some of the weather stations that have received the most rainfall in the last 24 hours. Photo: Meteorological Institute Figures from the Meteorological Institute show that they have sent out a total of 128 danger warnings about forest fires so far this year. It is the highest in five years. More forest fires in southern Norway In the morning hours on Monday, the fire service in Agder is working to put out five forest fires. In Vaksdal in Vestland, a forest fire started late on Sunday evening. The Civil Defense is there with 13 people. – It is planned that they will go out in cooperation with forest fire helicopters and fire crews, says civil defense adjutant Hans Erik Myren. The fire service and the Civil Defense on their way up to the terrain where there is a fire in Vaksdal. Photo: Jan Børge Leirvik / news The fire that started in Samnanger on Wednesday has flared up again at regular intervals. There are 20 people from the Civil Defense on site. They hope to scale back, either with post-extinguishing or by discontinuing efforts. – There was quite a bit of rain yesterday, so I have hope that the temperature has dropped a little out in the terrain. They will make an assessment on that, Myren told news on Monday morning. In Samnanger in Vestland, the forest fire has flared up again at regular intervals. Photo: 110 Vest Still burning in the evening At Middagskollen, between Larvik and Siljan, it is still burning after a lightning strike on Thursday afternoon. Since then, large forces from the fire service and the Civil Defense have worked diligently to extinguish the fire. It is approximately 300 meters in height to the top where it is burning, says fire constable Morten Kristoffersen. Fire constable Morten Kristoffersen in Larvik fire and rescue. Photo: Stian Wåsjø Simonsen / news – Last night we were out and saw several small fires, but it seems that it has subsided somewhat in the morning. According to fire chief Jan-Olav Vagle, it is the biggest forest fire in more than 27 years in Vestfold. Not certainly in area, but at least in duration. – It is the worst place we could have a forest fire, said Vagle at the weekend. 579 people from the Norwegian Civil Defense A water supply is being established up to the fire area at Middagskollen, says Vegard Gebuhr who is head of the Norwegian Civil Defense in Vestfold. – It has been so dry and the ground is smoldering. It needs quite a lot of rain. That is why we will help with water supply so that we can put it out. In the period Friday 16 June up to and including Monday 19 June in the morning, 12 civil defense districts have participated in 18 efforts. A total of 579 people in the Civil Defense put in 5,958 hours of effort over the weekend. Of these efforts, all but one are forest, grass or heather fires. Resource-intensive work On Wednesday and Thursday, around 20 millimeters of rain has been reported in Bergen. It is not certain that there will be enough rainfall, according to fire chief in Bergen, Janicke Larsen. The fire chief in Bergen, Janicke Larsen, wants more rain. Photo: Siv Kristin Hovland / Bergen fire service – The way we assess it now, there must be quite a lot of rain for the forest fire danger to decrease. One of the things that worries us is that there will be a lot of lightning, which in turn poses a danger for new fires. The areas in Samnanger and Vaksdal, as well as in Larvik, where it has been burning for the past week have been rugged and steep. – It is clear that it is difficult for the crews to work outside. We constantly have to think about residual preparedness, and we are constantly worried that there will be more fires. This requires resources, says Larsen.
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Forest fire risk still high – rainfall has little to do – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
