– It is very rare that we have lightning in coastal and fjord areas in Finnmark, says state meteorologist Per Egil Haga. In the last 24 hours, just under 1,000 lightning strikes have been registered in Finnmark. Most in a small area in Pasvik and Varanger. – Summer lightning is completely unusual in Eastern Finnmark, and belongs to southern Europe, says the state meteorologist. Haga explains that unstable air masses combined with the heat, give a lot of energy to rain clouds that bring lightning and thunder. The state meteorologist says that this type of weather belongs in southern Europe. Photo: Bjørn-Martin Bache Nordby / Bjørn-Martin Bache Nordby 17 hours of fire Last night, a heather fire broke out south of the lake Huvvalátta in Nesseby municipality. Over a short period of time, 200 lightning strikes were registered in the area in Nesseby where the fire started. An ambulance helicopter in the area discovered the fire, and reported it to the 110 exchange in Finnmark at 01:03. The fire brigade was able to extinguish the fire at 6.30 pm on Sunday evening, 17 hours later. The heather fire was just northwest of the town of Nesseby in eastern Finnmark. – They estimated that the fire was approx. 100 x 100 meters in size, says Jarleif Sørensen at the 110 exchange in Finnmark. The fire brigade believes that a lightning strike in a tree is the reason why it started burning. Lightning struck this tree, and the great heather fire probably started here. Photo: Sør-Varanger fire brigade Must have assistance The Nesseby fire brigade started work on extinguishing the fire. They received assistance from a forest fire helicopter in Tana. This morning, the Sør-Varanger fire brigade and the Civil Defense took over the work. They received assistance from a helicopter from Alta, says Sørensen. The chief of operations for the Civil Defense in East Finnmark, Ola Johansen, says the crew thinks the work has been demanding due to the heat, but that they are now ready for new assignments. The civil defense in East Finnmark sent 5 people from Tana to Nesseby, to assist the emergency services. They have now been flown out of the area by helicopter. Photo: East Finnmark Civil Defense District Several forest fires in Finnmark The last 24 hours have been hectic for the Civil Defense in Finnmark. – Yesterday we assisted the Red Cross during the search operation for a man in his 30s in Mehamn. And we were also ready to move out to the forest fires in Kautokeino, says Johansen. Rolf Gunnar Nilsen, operations manager for fire in Sør-Varanger, praises the Civil Defense. – The civil defense has many talented people, and is a player we greatly appreciate, Nilsen says.
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Record heat leads to large amounts of lightning strikes in Finnmark – news Troms and Finnmark
