Sweden, Latvia battling wildfires amid record heatwave

Sweden has been struggling to contain an epidemic of wildfires triggered by a record high temperature, which has brought the worst drought in more than 7 decades to the European country famous for its cold and snow.

The Scandinavian country has found itself unable to control the fires, which have engulfed the extreme north down to Malmo in the south and promoted Stockholm to mobilize all its facilities and resources to prevent a greater disaster.

More than 50 fires continue to rage inside Sweden's borders, with no fatalities reported so far. A dozen of fires were also reported inside the Arctic Circle.

Meteorologists have warned that the unusually high temperature is unlikely to end soon, with little prospect of rain for the time being.

Hundreds of voluntary soldiers from the Swedish military have been sent to key areas in the central region of Alvdalen. They have managed to control a number of fires there, but dozens are still raging.

In an unusual move, Sweden issued an appeal last week for international aid to deal with the situation.

So far, Italy, France, Norway, Germany and Poland have sent help.

 Italy has deployed two firefighting aircraft to Sweden, while Norway has dispatched eight helicopters.

Dozens of French soldiers specialized in firefighting arrived in Sweden early Monday. Another 30 firefighters from the south of France will also join them later in the day, AFP reported.

Meanwhile, Germany and Poland have responded to Stockholm’s aid request by supplying firefighting aircraft and helicopters.

Sweden’s neighbors Norway and Finland have also been tackling fires as they are also experiencing a period of extreme heat.

Additionally in Latvia, a devastating forest fire has burnt more than 800 hectares of land.

The fire broke out last Tuesday in the west of the Baltic country and spread eastwards.

Latvian fire services spokesman Inta Palkavniece said, “Peatland fires burn downward, but when there’s wind, which brings oxygen, the fires can erupt into flames.”

He said that their “main goal is to prevent the fires from spreading,” which would be “long and troublesome” as the unfavorable weather conditions “will remain so over the next days.”

The unusually long heatwave has also affected Poland and Germany.

According to Poland’s Agriculture Ministry, the government in Warsaw has asked the European Union for financial aid after more than 91,000 of its farms were affected by a spring drought.

Germany, which also suffered an unusual drought in May and June, expects its harvest this year to be down by between 20 and 50 percent, agricultural producers say.

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