Despite the fact that it is extremely dry in large parts of the country and there are burning bans in several counties, many county administrative boards are planning to carry out so-called conservation burnings to increase biodiversity – but this can have devastating consequences.
In 2017, a conservation fire spread and destroyed large parts of forest owner Per Gustavsson’s land in Gillbonderyd.
– Yes, it was a terrifying experience. I had my dogs here and and it was burning towards the village, then I was told that it was not so dangerous. But it was uncontrolled, says Per Gustavsson.
Planned nature conservation burns are done to increase biodiversity, there are species that are not brought back to life until the forest has burned. In Granö outside Umeå, the county board recently burned forest in a nature reserve.
– After all, it is these real fire specialists, insects, fungi and lichens that are completely dependent on burnt wood, burnt ground to survive. Even the pine needs this, it is ecologically completely adapted to forest fire, says Andreas Garpebring at the Environmental Protection Unit at the Västerbotten County Board.
Dispensation despite the burning ban
A survey of the country’s county administrations shows that the vast majority plan to do nature conservation burns once or twice this season. Although it seems both dangerous and illogical, the burning must take place when the ground is dry in order to be done safely.
Some also apply for a dispensation to have a fire even though there is a fire ban.
– Safety is extremely important. I usually say this, you and I are not allowed to cut a person with a knife, but if you are a surgeon you are allowed to do it. It’s the same here, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you should definitely not set fire in the forest now, says Andreas Garpebring.
The criticism: “Isn’t that enough?”
The emergency services must be notified, the staff trained, and if the humidity is too low or the wind is too strong, they cancel.
According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, it is extremely rare for a burn to spread and they believe that more nature conservation burns are needed in the next few years. But forest owner Per Gustavsson is critical.
– I understand why you do this, but it still burns all the time, isn’t that enough? It’s in the back of my mind after what happened, I look up at the sky to see any plumes of smoke… it’s not fun to smell fire smoke, he says.