Flames were still visible Thursday from a major brushfire that has ravaged more than 1,000 acres (5,000 mål) along the coast of Nordland. Firefighters said they nonetheless had gained control over the blaze during the night.
“Help from helicopters was critical in gaining control,” Einar Bjørnli of the fire brigade in Mosjøen told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK). “At the same, the crews on the ground did a great job.”
Volunteers, fire boats on the water and professional firefighters in the air and on the ground battled the blaze for more than 10 hours before it was brought under control. The area around Sørdalen in Vefsn has few if any roads, is extremely dry and has few sources of groundwater. Strong winds on Wednesday created more problems for the emergency crews.
The winds died down on Thursday, making ongoing efforts to extinguish remaining flames easier. There were no reports of damage to holiday cabins in the area, or injuries. It was the latest in a series of brush fires along the coast, and its cause had not been determined.
newsinenglish.no staff
