Blazes In Scandinavia Ignite Fears For Summer Season

Firefighters in Sweden and Norway were Wednesday trying to contain wildfires which forced hundreds to leave their homes and sparked concern over a repeat of last year's historic forest fires

Stockholm, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Apr, 2019 ) :Firefighters in Sweden and Norway were Wednesday trying to contain wildfires which forced hundreds to leave their homes and sparked concern over a repeat of last year's historic forest fires.

A total of 10 fires were of a "serious nature", a Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) spokesman told AFP Eight helicopters were being used to fight the blazes in the south that were reported to be under control Wednesday afternoon.

"They have them under control", MSB press secretary Marcus Arskog told Swedish news agency TT.

The most severe covered 300 hectares (740 acres) and broke out in the Hassleholm region in southern Sweden, forcing 49 people to evacuate.

Last year a historically hot summer set a total of 25,000 hectares of forest ablaze in Sweden, almost 10 times the yearly average, according to a government study.