Mushroom hunter narrowly escapes injury in storm-ravaged Lithuanian forest

A mushroom hunter in Lithuania's Dzūkija region narrowly avoided serious injury after a large branch fell from a storm-damaged tree while they were collecting rare red-bolete mushrooms. The incident occurred in a forest between the villages of Kasčiūnai and Puvočiai, an area still recovering from a powerful storm on August 6.

The rare red-bolete mushrooms, also known locally as 'balsevičiukai' or 'amerikonais,' are edible and valuable. They are native to North America but have spread to Lithuania in recent decades. Despite warnings from foresters about the dangers in storm-ravaged woods, the hunter ventured into the affected area.

As the mushroom collector was gathering fungi, a large, storm-broken branch detached from a nearby tree and crashed down. The individual managed to jump aside just in time, narrowly escaping a potentially fatal blow. The close call serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing risks in these forests.

Officials from the Dzūkija National Park emphasize that the storm-damaged forests are still highly unsafe. They strongly advise against venturing into these areas for activities like mushroom hunting until the situation improves, recommending safer locations north of Varėna or in the Kapčiamiestis forest instead.