Grass and forest fires

How to avoid starting a fire

Stay aware of the wildfire risk

Always stay aware of the wildfire risk wherever you are. If the fire risk is high, you should be extra careful when making a fire outdoors. Keep track of the fire risk via:

SMHIs fire risk forecasts

The app Fire Danger Outdoors

Never light a fire during a fire ban

During dry spells in the summer, a fire ban may be issued for a particular area. The ban is issued by the municipality or the county administrative board, and information is available on their websites. It is your own responsibility to find out whether a fire ban is in effect. Violating a fire ban may result in fines.

Map of active fire bans 

Always light a fire in a safe place

If there is no fire ban and you are planning to light a fire in nature, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

• Choose a spot where the fire cannot spread to other flammable materials such as trees, bushes or grass. The ground should ideally be gravel or sand.
• Delimit the fire pit with stones or soil to keep it small.
• Use a camping stove if you’re going to cook. This is often safer than an open fire.
• Avoid lighting a fire if it’s very windy. The wind can cause sparks to fly and spread the fire.
• Always have access to water to extinguish the fire.
• Extinguish the fire properly with water and stir it so that the coals are completely put out. Dig up the ground beneath the ashes until there are no coals left, and pour plenty of water both on the remains of the fire and all around it.

Advice for property owners

• Do not keep flammable materials near your property.
• Remove dry grass from around buildings and keep it short during the summer.
• Make sure you have access to water at your property. Either via a hose or by filling a barrel.
• Draw up an evacuation plan and consider alternative escape routes to and from your property.

If there is a fire or the fire is spreading

If the fire spreads whilst you are having a fire, or if you discover a fire in the forest, you should do the following:

Call 112 and alert the emergency rescue services

• Describe what has happened and be prepared to answer questions. You can use the 112 app on your mobile phone to send your location.
• Warn people nearby.

Try to stop the fire from spreading

• If it feels safe to do so, you can try to stop the fire from spreading.
• Use bundles of small spruce branches and sweep burning material towards the fire.
• At the same time, press the bundle against the ground to smother the fire. It is best if the bundles can be dampened.
• Remove brushwood, branches and other flammable material around the fire.

Advice for property owners

If a fire is approaching, you should:

• Close windows, shutters, doors and roof hatches.
• Retract awnings and remove flammable objects around the buildings.
• Wet the ground around the property and keep it damp. This requires less water than extinguishing an active fire.
• Prepare for a possible evacuation.

Things to think about after a forest fire

Be careful when walking in the forest

Even if the fire has been put out, it may take several months before it is completely safe to walk in the forest.

• The trees’ roots may be damaged, and even a breeze may be enough to cause them to fall.
• Embers in the ground can quickly and unexpectedly flare up into a fire and spread.
• Hollows may form beneath the ground where the embers continue to burn. There is a risk of stepping into the embers and getting burnt.

Advice for property owners

If you have your own well, you should test your drinking water after a forest fire. The fire may release substances from the soil and vegetation that affect the water in the well