Major wildfire in Krokstadelva described as worst in a century

KRAGERØ/DRAMMEN (Dagbladet) — A fast-moving wildfire described as the worst in a century tore through the Krokstadelva neighborhood outside Drammen late Friday, leaving more than 100 homes destroyed and forcing hundreds to evacuate.

Firefighters, operating tanker trucks to supplement water pressure, battled the blaze through the night. Containment was not expected until early Saturday at the earliest, according to Frode Presthus, incident commander for the South-East Police District.

The scene resembled a war zone, with charred vehicles, burnt-out houses, and glowing embers still smoldering in the wreckage. Firefighters paused briefly for water and energy drinks as they worked to protect remaining structures.

Evacuations were swift; abandoned belongings, including an electric wheelchair left in the street, marked the urgency. Police conducted door-to-door checks on “red” addresses in the Uranusveien area, using heavy tools to force entry where necessary.

Firefighters managed to save some homes despite the inferno, but the scale of destruction left entire streets unrecognizable.