29 March 2024 01:51 PM
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ECHO Daily Flash
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Sweden Forest Fires
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- ECHO Daily flash of
22/07/2018
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As of the 21 July, Sweden reported 70 on-going
fires in the country, up from 45 the day before. 15 fires are reported to be
not under control. In the north of the
country, thunder and lightning in the afternoon resulted in approximately 35
more forest fires. The latest estimate for the area affected by forest fires in
30 000 ha. Though there was light, widespread rain last night, the weather
prognosis for coming weeks is for more heat and drought. National authorities
are preparing for a more prolonged operation in their efforts to contain the
outbreaks.
- Sweden activated the Union Civil Protection
Mechanism on the 16 July and has since requested both aerial and ground forest
fire fighting assistance. In response Italy and France have sent water bombing
planes, Germany and Lithuania have sent water bombing helicopters, Poland and
Denmark have sent ground forest fire fighting forces. A French offer of ground forces was accepted on 21 July, with the first contingent arriving tonight. The total response
enabled through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism now counts five planes,
six helicopters, 67 vehicles and 340 personnel. Further offers have been made
by Austria, Portugal and Germany. Norway is supporting firefighting efforts
with bilateral assistance.
- In the past 24 hours Italian and French planes
have conducted 223 water bombing drops tackling five large fires in the region
of Gävleborg near the village of Kårböle where over 100 people have already
been pre-emptively evacuated.
- DG ECHO deployed a liaison officer on 20 July.
An additional liaison officer will join the operation from today. Copernicus
Emergency Rapid Mapping Service has produced 11 maps on request from Sweden,
with four more currently in production.