SMHI has increased its warnings about the risk of forest fires compared to a few days ago. Later in the week it will be even worse.
– It has been very sparing with precipitation, says Linus Karlsson, meteorologist SMHI, to TV4 Nyheterna.
Now the risk of forest fire is described as “very high” in several parts of southern Sweden. Locally in eastern Götaland, the risk is “extremely high”.
– You can see in the southern parts that it is still dry according to the forecast, so the area is exposed in that sense for the moment. When there is an extremely high risk, it is very flammable, says Linus Karlsson and continues:
– There are two parts that play a role in the risk – whether it is “very large” or “extremely large”. In some areas it is not as easy for the fire to spread, and there may be a greater risk in other areas where there may be more serious consequences.
Fires are prohibited here
“Great care should be taken when burning outdoors, often fire bans apply,” SMHI writes on its website.
– When it is so dry that we have a risk of forest fires, which means that it is easily flammable in the forest, but also a particularly high risk that a fire can spread, says Linus Karlsson.
Fire bans apply in Södermanland, Stockholm, Uppsala County and parts of Västmanland. Even in parts of Blekinge and Kronoberg and on Gotland, there is a ban on fires and barbecues in forest and land.
It is municipalities and county councils that issue fire bans.
– The risk of forest fire that we from SMHI issued is to inform that it is dry and if you make a fire outside, it is highly flammable. It is a detail to keep up-to-date if there is a fire ban where you live, says the meteorologist.
According to the fire risk forecast of the Swedish Agency for Community Protection and Emergency Preparedness, the fire risk increases gradually during the week to culminate on Sunday.
Risk of grass fires in the north
The risk of grass fires in northern parts of Sweden, where dry last year’s grass remains, has also increased since the beginning of the week.
– There we have the risk that has been issued, which is due to the fact that we still have the dry grass from last year that remains, as the snow cover melts away and it is now showing, says Linus Karlsson and continues:
– We previously had the risk further south, but now last year’s grass has been replaced there with new grass.