Rainy summer cuts Lapland wildfires by dozens

A rainy and mild summer has sharply reduced the number of wildfires in Lapland, Yle reports, citing the Lapland Rescue Department.

There have been 61 wildfires in the region so far this year. By the same point last year, the number was 91, while the full-year total in 2025 was 121.

Most of this year’s fires occurred in April and May. Snow melted early, causing the wildfire season to begin about a month earlier than usual.

July saw the most wildfires during the summer, when a wildfire warning was also in effect across large parts of Finland. Fires were reported, for example, in Ranua, Savukoski and Inari. One fire in Inari had to be fought from the air.

On July 22, a wildfire burned at Joukhaislompolo northeast of Lake Inari. The area was surrounded by waterways, making it inaccessible to firefighters by land.

The rescue department said the rainy summer had reduced the number of other emergency callouts as well as wildfires.

Long-lasting fires and those in difficult locations place a heavy burden on rescue services, rescue director Markus Aarto said in a statement. Wildfires can tie up personnel from contract fire brigades for long periods.

According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Rovaniemi and Kittilä each recorded rain on about 20 days during the past month. Lapland had only a few hot days suitable for wildfires this summer.