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Forest fires in Birkenes: No spread overnight
🇳🇴 Norway /Disasters & Emergencies

Forest fires in Birkenes: No spread overnight

From Aftenposten · () Norwegian

Translated from Norwegian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Firefighters in Birkenes, Norway, experienced a quiet, windless night with no spread of the ongoing forest fire.
  • Despite the lack of spread, extinguishing the fire is far from over, with numerous smaller fires and hundreds of underground hotspots remaining.
  • The fire, which broke out Tuesday afternoon, has burned large forest areas under very dry conditions.

Firefighters in Birkenes, Agder, Norway, reported a calm and windless night with no further spread of the ongoing forest fire. The operation to extinguish the blaze, which began Tuesday afternoon, is still extensive.

Kristiansand-regionen Brann og Redning stated in a press release Friday morning that "there has been no spread of the fire during the night." However, they cautioned that "it is still many smaller fires inside the fire area with smoke development." The ground remains hot in places, with several hundred "hotspots" – areas of extreme heat beneath the surface – detected.

There has been no spread of the fire during the night.

— Kristiansand-regionen Brann og RedningStatement from the fire department regarding the overnight status of the Birkenes forest fire.

Thermal imaging cameras have clearly visualized these hotspots as red areas. Seven crew members monitored the fire area overnight. From 8 a.m. Friday, the ground effort will significantly increase, with approximately 35 to 40 personnel taking over the work.

The forest fire ignited in Vestøl, north of Oggevatn, and has scorched large tracts of forest in the Agder municipality amid extremely dry conditions throughout the week.

It is still many smaller fires inside the fire area with smoke development. The ground is hot in places with several hundred hotspots.

— Kristiansand-regionen Brann og RedningDescription of the remaining challenges in extinguishing the Birkenes forest fire.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Aftenposten in Norwegian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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