Smoke reported from forest fire on Russian side of border near Inari-Utsjoki in Finland

Officials in Northern Lapland continue to report the scent of smoke drifting from a forest fire on the Russian side of the border. The fire is located approximately 125 kilometers east of the Finnish border. Depending on wind conditions, there may still be smoke issues, including possible smoke haze in the Inari-Utsjoki region, according to Mika Hyvärinen, the on-duty chief of the Lapland Rescue Department.

The rescue service noted on Sunday that they have received reports of the smoke smell for several days. Hyvärinen highlighted that “it is clean wood that is burning.” He reassured residents that the smoke is not harmful, and there is no need to close windows or ventilation systems as a precaution. The affected area spans around 1,000 hectares, which Hyvärinen described as “quite significant.”

Finnish and Russian border guard authorities are in communication regarding the forest fire, while the rescue service has estimated the fire’s size using satellite imagery, as there has been a lack of information exchange between the Finnish and Russian rescue authorities. According to Hyvärinen, Finnish aerial monitoring aircraft have successfully determined that the smoke is indeed coming from the Russian side.

The rescue department stated that there is no cause for concern regarding the smoke scent. However, they urge anyone who notices new and clear smoke observations or has suspicions of a fire to report immediately to emergency services by calling 112.