About the fires

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Be careful in the fire damaged area

From June 24 2019 you can visit the forest fire area, but please be careful and attentive moving around. You can travel through the area on roads 84 and 296.

Watch out for falling trees
Trees may look green and healthy but have a damaged root system. They fall quickly and silently, especially during wind, rainfall or heavy snow.

Keep away from machines and trucks
Forest machines and trucks are working in the area. Please keep proper distance to machines if you walk around and watch out for large vehicles on small roads.

Right of public access and nature reserves
The right of public access (allemansrätten) is a fantastic opportunity for all to roam freely in Swedish nature. We still show respect for nature, wildlife and for people who live and work in the area.

In areas that are or will be nature reserves, nature will be left to develop freely, and other restrictions may apply. You find more information at the County Administrative Board of Gävleborg.

The forest fires in Ljusdal Municipality in 2018

On July 14th at 4.41 p.m. the local rescue services were alerted to a forest fire, after a lightning strike at Ängra in Ljusdal Municipality. Only 13 minutes later they were also alerted to a lightning strike at the area of Nötberget. This became the start of one of the largest fires in Sweden in modern times.

On July 16th the local rescue services were alerted to a fire in the area of Enskogen. Due to the extreme and longlasting drought in forests and fields and windy weather, the fires spread quickly. In total, five different fires were raging in the area during July, but the two smallest fires at Rullbo and Tovåsen were soon extinguished.

Both national and international rescue teams were involved in fighting the forest fires. Four weeks after the fires started, on August 9th, the fires were put out and the rescue efforts were terminated.

The affected forest areas have been declared closed to the general public, for safety reasons. The Municipality of Ljusdal and The County Administrative Board in Gävleborg have established a Coordination Office to support landowners and others who are affected by the fires.

Facts about the fires

• 23 475 acres of forest (about 20 000 football fields) are affected by the fires.
• The affected areas at Ängra, Enskogen, Nötberget, Tovåsen and Rullbo concern about 150 land owners in total, among these mostly private owners. Three land owners are forest companies.
• About 20 - 30 buildings were directly affected by the fire, all non-residential.
• About 200 people were evacuated at different stages.
• The fires in Ljusdal municipality caused no fatal or severe injuries to people.

Information on national emergencies or crises in Sweden

For general information in English about any national emergencies or crises, please visit the web site Radio Sweden. You can also visit the other links listed in the right column of this page or dial 113 13 (national crisis information services 24 hours a day).

Are you or anyone else in an emergency situation?

Is life, environment or property in danger? Please call 112 if you or somebody in your vicinity collapses or has a serious accident, or if there is an urgent need for ambulance, fire services or police services.