Firefighters battle wildfires across Finland after stormy winds spark blazes

Emergency services worked through the night to extinguish wildfires in multiple regions of Finland, public broadcaster Yle reports. Strong wind gusts downed trees and triggered fires that kept crews busy into early Thursday.

Fires were reported late Wednesday and early Thursday in Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme, South Savo, and North Savo. The Finnish Meteorological Institute has warned of elevated wildfire risks across southern and central Finland, extending as far north as Rovaniemi.

The same winds also caused widespread power outages, leaving tens of thousands without electricity on Wednesday. By early Thursday, the number of affected households had dropped to around 6,000, according to data from Energy Industry Finland.