Meteorologist Christopher Greenland warns that starting a fire during this time is risky and advises caution. SMHI reports that there is a high risk of grass fires throughout southern Sweden, and this risk has expanded slightly northward into southern Dalarna west of Gävle. The dry grass exposed by the melting snow is highly flammable during a clear and sunny day like this. Emergency services have already fought several grass fires during the Easter weekend, the latest being in a residential area in Halland. The grass fire risk is expected to persist through Boxing Day but will end on Tuesday as a new frontal system brings precipitation in the form of rain from the west towards Götaland and Svealand. Greenland emphasizes that this will significantly reduce the risk of grass fires.
– If you are going to start a fire, you should be very careful, or maybe wait until it stops, says Christopher Greenland, meteorologist at SMHI.
According to SMHI, the grass fire risk is high throughout southern Sweden. On Boxing Day, the area is expanded a bit further north, into southern Dalarna a bit west of Gävle.
The reason is that the snow melts away and exposes last year’s dry grass.
– When it’s this clear and sunny, last year’s grass becomes very flammable, says Christopher Greenland.
The emergency services have fought several grass fires during the Easter weekend, most recently in a residential area in Halland.
The grass fire risk is assessed to be high during Easter and Boxing Day, but will end on Tuesday.
– It has to do with the fact that further west there is a new frontal system that is lurking, which will come in during Tuesday and continue further east. That frontal system has associated precipitation in the form of rain, which then enters Götaland and Svealand. This means that the grass fire risk is significantly lower or even zero, says Christopher Greenland, meteorologist at SMHI.