Number of forest fires in Sweden 2014-2018

The summer of 2018 in Sweden was unusually warm and dry, the warmest summer in 260 years, and the long drought led to many forest fires in different regions of the country. The number of reported fires during the first half year of 2018 amounted to 1,204, which is a higher number than the previous five first halves of the years.

Huge increase in the number of wildfires

     The number of wildfires in the country (measured in wildfires per 25 hectares or more) in 2018 saw a huge increase compared to previous years. The previous highest number during the ten-year period from 2008 to 2017 was 12, but in 2018 a number of 74 wildfires was reached.  

Worry among the population

      When a survey was conducted about the topic after the summer of 2018, the respondents were asked if they were worried that the number of forest fires will increase in the future due to climate change. More than half of the respondents (56 percent) stated that they were quite or very worried about it.