Everything you need to know about forest fires
From what the dots on the map mean to the forest fire danger, the fire ban and what to do if you see smoke. Here are answers to what people ask most.
About the map
What the dots and colours mean, and what the map can and cannot tell you.
What does the map show?
The map shows places where satellites have detected clearly more heat than in the surroundings over the last 24 hours, 48 hours or 7 days. Each dot is called a hotspot.
By default the map shows possible forest fires. Under “Show fire types” you can also turn on heath and grass, wetland, farmland, buildings, industry and volcanoes. You can also show the forest fire danger for today and the next two days.
Is a dot on the map a confirmed fire?
No. A dot is a measurement of heat, not a confirmed fire. The heat may come from a forest fire, but also from straw burning, bonfires, industry or other hot surfaces.
That is why we write “possible forest fire”. If you see smoke or flames in Norway, call 110.
How up to date is the map?
Measurements usually arrive a few hours after the satellite has passed, and the map updates several times an hour. So it is not real time to the second or minute.
The satellites pass over the same place only a few times a day. A fire that starts and is put out between two passes may therefore be missing altogether.
Why can't I see a fire I know about?
The fire may have been small or short-lived, clouds may have hidden it, or it may have burned between two satellite passes. Fires smouldering in the ground often give off too little heat to be seen.
It may also be listed under another type. If it is burning near houses, on a farm, on fields or in heather, turn on the other types under “Show fire types”.
What do the colours and sizes of the dots mean?
Colour and size show how intense the heat is, measured as radiated power in megawatts (MW). The scale has five steps: weak (under 5 MW), moderate (5–20), strong (20–100), very strong (100–500) and extreme (over 500).
The power says something about how fiercely it is burning, not directly how large an area is burning. A paler dot means the measurement is less certain.
Filled dots are possible forest fires. Rings in the same colours are other kinds of vegetation, and grey rings are industry, offshore and volcanoes.
What does “NEW” in the list mean?
That the heat was detected within the last three hours.
How do I see if there is a fire in another municipality or country?
The map shows all known satellite detections of heat across the Nordic countries. Choose 24 hours, 48 hours or 7 days at the top. Click a municipality to open its page, with today's danger, the latest detections and the open-fire ban.
To see other countries, choose “World” on the map.
Can I trust what the map shows?
Skogbranner.no is not a warning system and does not replace warnings, announcements and advice from the emergency services, the health services, the municipality, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute or other public authorities. Always follow their information. In case of fire in Norway, call 110. If you need medical help, for example after breathing in smoke, call 113. The information here is collected and processed automatically and may be delayed, incomplete or wrong. A mark on the map is not a confirmed fire, and no mark does not mean that nothing is burning. Myrull Media AS accepts no liability for errors in what is shown, or for loss, damage or decisions based on information from the website.
Forest fire danger
What the danger index is, what the levels mean and when the danger is highest.
What is the forest fire danger index?
In June 2021 the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) introduced a daily forest fire danger index for all of Norway. It is based on the Canadian Fire Weather Index, adapted to Norwegian conditions.
The index is calculated from the weather, including temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind and snow.
What do the danger levels mean?
Low danger (green): low risk, the ground is usually damp. Some danger (yellow): fires can start until it rains. Danger (orange): high probability of fire, and a fire may be hard to control. High danger (light red): very high probability of fire.
High danger also comes in dark red: then an already difficult situation can get worse, for example if the wind picks up.
Is the forest fire danger a warning?
No. The index is one of several tools the meteorologists use. When it has been dry for a long time, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute issues separate forest fire warnings at yellow (moderate) or orange (considerable) level. The warning is an overall assessment, and warnings from local authorities always take precedence over the index.
Always follow the warnings and the advice of the municipality and the fire service.
When in the year and the day is the danger highest?
Usually in spring and summer. Right after the snow melts, last year's grass and heather are dead and dry, and a few dry days can be enough for them to burn easily. For the forest itself to burn, it usually has to be dry for several weeks. A long, dry autumn can also bring danger.
Over the day, the danger is highest in the afternoon and lowest late at night.
Why are there so many grass and heather fires in spring?
After the snow melts, last year's withered grass and heather lie on top, and they dry quickly. It takes only a few days of dry weather before the danger of grass and heather fires can be high, while trees only burn once it has been dry for long enough.
In 2025 there were 1,117 fires in open land and farmland in Norway: 468 in forest and open land and 649 in grass and farmland. More than half happened from March to May. Careless campfires and the use of open fire are the most common causes.
Where in Norway is the danger highest?
In the most forested parts of Eastern and Southern Norway. Pine forest burns more easily than spruce forest, because spruce forest holds on to moisture better.
Winters without snow can bring as much danger of grass and heather fires as spring does. The fires in Flatanger and on Frøya in January 2014 are examples.
Rules and advice
The fire ban, what to do if you see a fire, and who puts it out.
When is there a ban on open fires in Norway?
From 15 April to 15 September it is forbidden to light a fire in or near forest and other open land. This follows from the Norwegian fire prevention regulations, section 3.
Exceptions apply where the municipality has given permission or has its own local rules, or where it obviously cannot cause a fire. When the danger is especially high, the municipality can also ban fires outside this period and in other places outdoors, for up to 60 days at a time. Always check the rules in the municipality you are in.
Whatever the time of year, everyone must be careful with fire. Read all about the fire ban.
How do I know if there is a total ban on fires in my municipality?
When the fire danger is especially high, the municipality can ban all use of fire outdoors for up to 60 days at a time, and it must make the ban known. Check the municipality's website, social media or local media, or ask the fire service.
On the page for each municipality you can see today's forest fire danger, the next few days and the rules for fires.
What happens if I break the fire ban?
Anyone who intentionally or negligently breaks the fire prevention regulations or the municipality's local rules can be punished with a fine or up to 3 months in prison under section 42 of the Norwegian Fire and Explosion Prevention Act.
If you are unsure what applies, ask the local fire service before you light a fire.
Who decides on the open-fire ban, and who announces it?
The municipality decides on the open-fire ban and must make it known. When the danger is especially high, the County Governor (Statsforvalteren) can also introduce temporary bans for an area. The general ban applies from 15 April to 15 September, unless the municipality has given permission.
Check the municipality's website, or our open-fire ban page, to see what applies where you are.
Is it safe to walk in the forest when the danger is high?
Walking itself is usually safe. It is the fire that is dangerous. Most forest fires in Norway start because of people, so be careful with campfires, grills, sparks and cigarette ends.
When the danger is high, do not light a fire in the forest or on open land, and follow the open-fire ban. Check the fire danger for your municipality before you go, and keep away from areas with smoke or fire.
Can a campfire keep burning after it has been put out?
Yes. Embers from campfires and disposable grills can burn in the ground for days and spread some distance underground before any smoke appears.
So put it out with plenty of water, stir the ashes and add more until everything is cold. Do not put a disposable grill directly on the ground.
What should I do if I see a forest fire?
In Norway, call 110 straight away. Say as precisely as you can where the fire is, preferably with coordinates, and how the fire service can get there.
If the fire is small, you can try to put it out or stop it from spreading, but take no chances. Move away before the flames can surround you. Meet the fire service when they arrive and tell them what you have seen.
Can I fly a drone near a forest fire?
No. A drone can stop rescue helicopters from working, which makes the firefighting harder and more dangerous for those in the area.
At Lærdal in 2014 the police put a no-fly order over the fire area, because drones were disturbing the helicopters. If you see a drone over a fire, call 112 and report it. Do not try to bring it down yourself. Only the police can do that.
What do I do if we have to evacuate?
Follow the instructions from the police and the fire service straight away, and take the route they give you. Do not wait until the fire is close before you act.
Take medication, documents and your phone. Close windows and doors, but do not lock them. Call 112 if you are in danger or do not know where to go. Keep up to date through NRK, the municipality's website and police alerts.
Who puts out forest fires in Norway?
The municipality is responsible. The local fire service leads the firefighting and gets help from the Civil Defence and the Home Guard when needed.
The state keeps a forest fire helicopter on standby from 15 April to 15 September, and more when the danger is high. The fire service requests them, not the public.
How do I protect my house or cabin from a forest fire?
DSB recommends a fire-safe zone of about five metres around the house. Clear needles, leaves and bark from the roof, gutters and patio, keep the grass near the house short and remove dead grass in autumn. Store firewood, furniture and tools some distance from the wall.
Seal or cover vents and gaps where embers can lodge, for example with spark-proof mesh. Prefer deciduous trees to conifers, and avoid juniper, thuja and cypress right next to the house.
Cabins have the same requirements as homes: at least one smoke detector and a fire extinguisher or a fire hose.
About forest fires
Why fires start, how they spread and what fire means for nature.
What are the most common causes of forest fires?
Around nine in ten forest fires in Norway are caused by people. Common causes are campfires, barbecues and disposable grills, smoking, sparks from trains and forestry work.
Lightning is the most important natural cause.
What types of forest fire are there?
A low surface fire burns in the vegetation on the ground and typically spreads 9–10 metres a minute. A high surface fire also takes young trees and spreads 10–30 metres a minute. A crown fire burns in the treetops, spreads 30–40 metres a minute and is the hardest to stop.
A ground fire burns down in the soil and spreads slowly, but can be hard to put out completely. Spotting is when sparks and burning pieces are blown ahead of the fire and start new fires.
Is forest fire only harmful to nature?
No. Fire is a natural part of the northern coniferous forest. Dry pine forest has naturally burned about every 50 years, while bilberry spruce forest burns about every 150 to 200 years.
Before the 1600s, probably about a hundred times more forest burned in Norway than today, and in the 1800s about 13,000 decares (1,300 ha) a year burned on average.
Is smoke from forest fires dangerous?
Smoke from an outdoor fire usually only irritates the eyes and airways, causing coughing and stinging. Call 113 for serious symptoms such as breathing difficulties or loss of consciousness, or if you have been in the smoke for a long time. Pregnant women with symptoms should always see a doctor.
Over time, wildfire smoke is a growing health problem. According to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, deaths linked to wildfire smoke in Europe more than doubled from 1990 to 2019. Children, older people and people with heart or lung disease are especially vulnerable.
Will there be more forest fires as the climate changes?
In Norway, more days with high and very high forest fire danger are expected towards 2100, especially in the south-east. How much more often fires will actually occur is still uncertain.
Worldwide, the number of very intense forest fires has doubled since 2003, partly because higher temperatures bring longer dry spells.
The fires also affect the climate. In an opinion piece in October 2026 (in Norwegian), Nils Anders Røkke of SINTEF points out that forest fires in France released around 3.3 million tonnes of CO₂ in July, according to Copernicus, and cites research in the journal Science finding that global emissions from forest fires rose by 60 per cent from 2001 to 2023.
History and statistics
How many fires there are, the largest fires and what the authorities prepare for.
How many forest fires are there in Norway each year?
It varies a lot with the weather. From 2016 to 2020, between 260 and 911 forest fires a year were recorded, the fewest in 2019 and the most in 2018. Counting fires in open land, grass and scrub as well, the figure for 2018 was over 2,000, more than twice the normal.
The figures differ because the sources count different types of fire.
How long have forest fire statistics been kept in Norway?
Since 1913. Statistics Norway kept them from 1925 to 1989, and since 1990 what is now the Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) has been responsible.
What is the largest forest fire in Norway?
The largest in recent times is the fire in Froland in Agder in June 2008. It lasted almost two weeks and burned about 26,000 decares (2,600 ha).
Before records began, there were even larger fires. In Rendalen about 60 km² of forest burned in 1844, and the fire at Basevuovdi in Karasjok in 1894 is estimated at around 120 km², though that figure is uncertain. The Flatanger fire in January 2014 was smaller, but 64 buildings were lost.
See the largest wildfires in Norway, the Nordic countries and the world.
What are the largest town fires in Norway?
The map and the list of largest fires cover fires in forest and other vegetation, so town fires are not included there. But Norway has a long history of towns burning. Some of the best known are:
- Christiania 1624: all of old Oslo burned in a fire that lasted three days. The town was moved and rebuilt as Christiania.
- Trondheim 1681: the whole town burned and was rebuilt to a new plan with wide streets.
- Drammen 1866: 358 houses burned and 5,000 people lost their homes.
- Ålesund 1904: about 800 houses burned and about 12,000 people lost their homes. The fire led to a requirement for brick and stone buildings, and the town was rebuilt in Art Nouveau style.
- Bergen 1916: 380 buildings in the centre burned, about 3,000 people lost their homes and two died.
- Lærdalsøyri 2014: 40 buildings burned, six of them listed.
- Krokstadelva in Drammen 2026: 116 homes burned down, the largest residential fire in Norway in a century.
Store norske leksikon has a longer list of major Norwegian fires (in Norwegian). The fire in open land that destroyed the most buildings is Flatanger in 2014, with 64. It is on the map.
Source: Hoel, Rimstad and Rake: “norske storbranner”, Store norske leksikon, retrieved 10 October 2026.
Which fires in Norway have claimed the most lives?
Forest fires in Norway fortunately rarely claim lives. The deadliest fires have been in buildings:
- Grue church 1822: 117 died when the church burned during the Whitsun service.
- Elverum 1940: 41 died when German aircraft bombed and set fire to the town centre.
- Hegdehaugsveien in Oslo 1938: 29 died in a studio fire.
- Stalheim Hotel 1959: 25 died.
- The Hjorten pharmacy in Oslo 1859: 17 died.
- Alstadhaug nursing home in Sandnessjøen 1979 and Hotel Caledonien in Kristiansand 1986: 14 died in each.
The deadliest forest fire we have recorded in Norway is the fire on Hardangervidda in 1947, in which a boy died.
Source: Hoel, Rimstad and Rake: “norske storbranner”, Store norske leksikon, retrieved 10 October 2026.
How bad could a forest fire in Norway get?
The Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) has analysed an imagined scenario for 2030 with climate change. Several large forest fires burn at the same time in Southern Norway, all of the state's 22 forest fire helicopters are deployed, up to 3,000 people must be evacuated, and the direct losses are estimated at NOK 5–10 billion.
This is a scenario for emergency planning, not something that has happened.