Swedish regions impose stricter fire bans as drought continues
Regional governments across central Sweden tightened their bans on campfires, bonfires and barbecues on Monday, as Sweden's dry spell heightened the risk of forest fires.
The regional governments in Stockholm, Gotland, Västmanland and Södermanland all on Monday announced tightened barbecue and campfire bans, which will mean it is no longer permitted to barbecue or light bonfires or campfires outside of built-up areas using solid fuels such as wood, coal, or charcoal.
"The continued hot and dry weather means that there is an extremely high risk of fires in forests and other country areas," the regional government in Stockholm said in a press release about its ban, which came into force at 12pm.
Gotland's stricter ban came into force at 1.30pm, and Västmanland's at 2pm.
Jönköping is putting a stricter ban in place from Tuesday, while several municipalities in Västra Götaland, Dalarna, Kalmar, and Kronoberg already have stricter bans in place.
The stricter bans mean there is a ban on lighting barbecues using solid fuel at fire pits and other barbecue places set up by regional governments in forests, by lakes and at other beauty spots.
Barbecues which use gas or liquid fuel are, however, still allowed, even at public barbecue spots outside of built up areas.
Barbecues can also still take place in built-up areas, but the barbecue must be set up in such a way as to reduce the risk of fire spreading, such as placing it on a surface that is not at risk of catching fire.
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The regional governments in Stockholm, Gotland, Västmanland and Södermanland all on Monday announced tightened barbecue and campfire bans, which will mean it is no longer permitted to barbecue or light bonfires or campfires outside of built-up areas using solid fuels such as wood, coal, or charcoal.
"The continued hot and dry weather means that there is an extremely high risk of fires in forests and other country areas," the regional government in Stockholm said in a press release about its ban, which came into force at 12pm.
Gotland's stricter ban came into force at 1.30pm, and Västmanland's at 2pm.
Jönköping is putting a stricter ban in place from Tuesday, while several municipalities in Västra Götaland, Dalarna, Kalmar, and Kronoberg already have stricter bans in place.
The stricter bans mean there is a ban on lighting barbecues using solid fuel at fire pits and other barbecue places set up by regional governments in forests, by lakes and at other beauty spots.
Barbecues which use gas or liquid fuel are, however, still allowed, even at public barbecue spots outside of built up areas.
Barbecues can also still take place in built-up areas, but the barbecue must be set up in such a way as to reduce the risk of fire spreading, such as placing it on a surface that is not at risk of catching fire.
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