Largest forest fires in Norway
The largest forest fires we know of in Norway, ranked by area burned. The oldest areas come from historical records and are estimates; the newer ones from official statistics and newspapers of the time.
Basevuovdi fire
1894 · Karasjok, Finnmark · 120 km² burned
The largest forest fire we know of in Norway since 1800. According to records from the time, 20,000 decares of pine forest and 100,000 decares of mountain plateau and moss land burned at Basevuovdi. 1894 is counted as one of the great fire years in the north.
Rønningsåsen fire
June 1844 · Rendalen, Innlandet · 60 km² burned
No less than 60,000 decares of forest burned between Flena and Storsjøen in June 1844. Most fires in Hedmark at the time were started by people, some deliberately to improve grazing for livestock.
Femundsundet–Snerten fire
1852 · Engerdal, Innlandet · 45 km² burned
One of many large forest fires in Hedmark between 1840 and 1869, in the great pine forests towards the Swedish border. The fire at Femundsundet and Snerten probably burned 45,000 decares.
Rendalen forest fire of 1851
summer 1851 · Rendalen, Innlandet · 35 km² burned
According to the Norwegian Digital Learning Arena (NDLA), one of the two largest forest fires known in Norway. It turned 30,000–40,000 decares of forest to ash in Rendalen, which has had several of the country's largest forest fires.
Sokndal and Lund forest fires
20–24 April 2003 · Sokndal and Lund, Rogaland · 30 km² burned
Several fires over Easter 2003 in the border area between Sokndal and Lund. The hamlet of Sandbekk was evacuated, and 60–70 firefighters were helped by three military helicopters.
Froland fire (Mykland fire)
9–22 June 2008 · Froland, Agder · 27 km² burned
The largest forest fire in Norway since the war. It probably started with a spark from a forestry machine in a very dry early summer and lasted almost two weeks. 77 people were evacuated from the centre of Mykland, and at its peak 15 helicopters were in action. Afterwards, more than 10,000 decares of the burned area were protected as nature reserves.
Sotra forest fire of 2006
5–8 May 2006 · Øygarden (formerly Fjell), Vestland · 20 km² burned
The fire was started by a disposable grill on a fishing trip and became the largest fire in the history of Fjell municipality. Around a hundred people were evacuated, but no houses burned.
Pasvik fire
July 1945 · Sør-Varanger, Finnmark (near the three-country cairn) · 20 km² burned
The fire crossed the border from the Finnish side in early July 1945 and burned around 20,000 decares of pine and birch forest in the far south of Pasvik, by the point where Norway, Finland and Russia meet. It is not included in the official forest fire statistics.
Sanddøldalen fire
1852 · Grong, Trøndelag · 20 km² burned
About 20,000 decares burned in Sanddøldalen, two thirds of it forest land. Parts of the area are now a nature reserve.
Rendal fire of 1920
20 June 1920 · Rendalen, Innlandet (south of the Mistra river) · 17 km² burned
The largest forest fire in Norway before the Second World War. It started south of the Mistra river and burned about 17,000 decares, in a summer of many large forest fires across the country.
Flatanger fire
27–29 January 2014 · Flatanger, Trøndelag · 15 km² burned
A snowless, dry January made the heather easy to ignite, and a storm drove the fire through several hamlets. Sparks from a power line are considered the cause. 64 buildings burned or were damaged, the most in a Norwegian open-land fire since the war, but no one died.
Kvinesheia forest fire
9–10 April 2003 · Kvinesdal, Agder · 15 km² burned
Heather burning got out of control and spread across the moor at Brauteland. Several forest plantations were lost.
Frøya fire
29–30 January 2014 · Frøya, Trøndelag · 11 km² burned
A heath fire in the middle of winter, after a long period without snow or rain. Strong wind drove it across large parts of the island in the same week as the Flatanger fire. It was probably started by children playing with fire.
Sotra fire of 2021
3–14 June 2021 · Øygarden, Vestland · 10 km² burned
The fire spread quickly through heather and scrub on Sotra in warm, dry weather, with a fire front several kilometres long. Several hundred people were evacuated. It took more than a week before the fire was completely out.
Femsjø fire
15–21 July 1911 · Halden, Østfold · 10 km² burned
The fire lasted a week and burned about 10,000 decares of forest by the lake Femsjøen. Part of the burned area is now the Brattås nature reserve.
Elverum fire (Starmoen)
30 June 1976 · Elverum, Innlandet · 9.4 km² burned
The fire started at a waste site and spread across the pine heaths at Starmoen and Hornmoen. Around 700 people took part in fighting it. It was the largest forest fire in Norway after the war until the Froland fire in 2008.
Sokndal forest fires
23–26 April 2019 · Sokndal, Rogaland · 7.5 km² burned
Several forest fires broke out in Sokndal on the same day, and for a while there was a risk they would reach the municipal centre of Hauge. Smoke and the wind direction meant many households were evacuated. Fire services from five municipalities, the Civil Defence, the Home Guard and several helicopters took part. The County Governor later pointed to the need for better training of landowners who burn heather.
Great fire between Vikebygd and Bjoa
7–10 May 2006 · Vindafjord, Rogaland · 7 km² burned
The largest of several fires in Western Norway in May 2006. Around 250 firefighters and several helicopters fought the fire, which affected eleven landowners. No buildings burned.
Great fire in Østmarka
18 July 1889 · Lørenskog, Akershus · 6 km² burned
The fire was discovered south-west of the lake Langvann by an 18-year-old out looking for horses. It burned about 6,000 decares of forest in Østmarka, and the Godheim farm was lost. Careless use of fire is considered the cause.
Tingstadlia fire
1959 · Rendalen, Innlandet · 5 km² burned
The largest forest fire in the very dry year of 1959. About 5,000 decares of productive forest burned on the hillside at Tingstad in Rendalen.
Fana forest fire
21–22 April 2003 · Bergen, Vestland · 4.4 km² burned
The largest fire in Bergen in recent times. It spread over large areas of Fana and threatened the farmsteads at Totland.
Lyngdal forest fire
23–24 April 2019 · Lyngdal, Agder · 4 km² burned
The fire broke out on the same day as the fires in Sokndal and spread towards Kvinesdal. Several homes were evacuated while the fire service and helicopters worked to stop it.
Heddal fire
1976 · Notodden, Telemark · 4 km² burned
Together with the Elverum fire, the largest forest fire in the dry year of 1976, when 20,000 decares of forest burned in Norway.
Åmli forest fire
11–15 August 1947 · Åmli, Agder · 3.5 km² burned
The fire started at a forced labour camp at Suplandsfoss, just above Simonstad station, and threatened homes several times. Several hundred people took part in fighting it, including 200 soldiers and 100 volunteers from the area. Newspapers called it the largest forest fire in Southern Norway in living memory.
Kongsvinger fire
1975 · Kongsvinger, Innlandet · 3.45 km² burned
One of the larger forest fires in Norway in the 1970s, in Eastern Norway where most large fires happen. About 3,450 decares burned. The exact date and place are not known.
Nissedal forest fire
July 2022 · Nissedal, Telemark · 3 km² burned
Around 3 km² of mainly pine forest burned south of the mountain Furunusteren. The fire was hard to put out, and fire services from neighbouring municipalities were called in. The burned area has since been surveyed for insects that live in burned forest.
Hopsfjellet fire
2–3 June 1992 · Sveio, Vestland · 3 km² burned
The cause was never found. Six years later, 1,630 decares of the burned area became Norway's first nature reserve set up to protect a burned forest.
Hetlebakksåta forest fire
29 April 1974 · Bergen (Åsane), Vestland · 3 km² burned
The largest fire in Bergen in modern times until the Fana fire in 2003. It spread across the mountain Hetlebakksåta in Åsane.
Hemnefjorden forest fire
4–7 May 1934 · Heim, Trøndelag · 3 km² burned
Sparks from a fire at the Snigeldal farm set the surrounding forest alight, and both the farmhouse and the barn burned down. The fire spread along the Hemnefjord and flared up again towards Moldvik three days later.
Kommuneskogen fire
2006 · Våler, Innlandet · 2.4 km² burned
One of the largest forest fires in Norway in 2006, in the municipal forest in Våler in Solør. About 2,400 decares of productive forest were damaged.
Lisleherad fire
1992 · Notodden, Telemark · 2.25 km² burned
The largest forest fire in Norway in 1992, a year when 14,000 decares of forest burned across the country.
Hardangervidda forest fire
12–16 August 1947 · Eidfjord, Vestland · 2 km² burned
The fire started in the birch and pine forest in Øvre Eidfjord and spread up towards the Hardangervidda plateau. Around 2,000 people took part in fighting it, and more than 2,000 decares of forest were lost. A young boy died after a fall on his way home from fire watch.
Romedal fire
13–21 June 2006 · Stange, Innlandet · 1.7 km² burned
Strong wind spread the fire quickly, and firefighting lasted eight days. To stop it, firebreaks were cut around 11,000 decares with harvesters and armoured recovery vehicles. The Civil Defence alone put in 750 crew-days and used 13 kilometres of hose, while at most there were fires in 7–8 places in Hedmark at once.
Ombo fire
27 May–8 June 2018 · Stavanger (Ombo island), Rogaland · 1.5 km² burned
The fire started on the island of Ombo in Ryfylke on a Sunday morning and was the most extensive in Rogaland that weekend. Wind, steep terrain and little access to water made it hard to fight, and three forest fire helicopters were deployed. The burn scar was clearly visible on satellite images.
Deset fire
1959 · Åmot, Innlandet · 1.5 km² burned
One of the large fires of 1959. About 1,500 decares of productive forest burned at Deset in Åmot.
Bogsjø fires
4–7 July 1958 · Aremark and Halden, Østfold · 1.5 km² burned
Lightning started six fires over three days near the Swedish border. Swedish crews came across the border to help.
Hallingdal forest fire
17 June 1920 · Nesbyen, Buskerud · 1.5 km² burned
About 1,500 decares of forest burned between Liåsen and Nesbyen station, a few days before the Rendal fire.
Felle fire
June 2008 · Nissedal, Telemark · 1.3 km² burned
One of several large forest fires in the summer of 2008. The fire at Felle in Nissedal damaged about 1,300 decares of productive forest.
Mistra fire
26–27 May 1946 · Rendalen, Innlandet · 1.2 km² burned
The fire burned on the north side of the Mistra river in what was then Ytre Rendal, taking some of the finest pine forest in the area. Around 300 people put it out, and two smallholdings that were threatened were saved.
Middagskollen forest fire
15–22 June 2023 · Larvik, Vestfold (on the border with Siljan) · 1 km² burned
The fire was reported at Øksenholttjønna near Kvelde, on the border between Larvik and Siljan, on 15 June, and became a long firefight in difficult terrain where the fire burned down into the roots. Every day 10–15 firefighters and 15–20 Civil Defence crew took part, helped by a forest fire helicopter. The operation ended after a week and cost Larvik municipality about NOK 940,000.
Stor-Elvdal forest fire of 2002
5–7 June 2002 · Stor-Elvdal, Innlandet · 1 km² burned
700–1,000 decares of forest burned in Stor-Elvdal, near the border with Rendalen.
Espedalen fire
26–29 May 1946 · Sandnes (Høgsfjord), Rogaland · 1 km² burned
Dry juniper and heather let the fire spread very fast in the wind in Indredalen in Espedalen. It flared up again on the third day, and soldiers were brought in.
Stor-Elvdal fire of 1946
24–25 May 1946 · Stor-Elvdal, Innlandet · 1 km² burned
About 1,000 decares of forest burned. It was the first in a series of forest fires in Østerdalen in the dry spring of 1946.
Frol forest fire
20 June 1920 · Levanger, Trøndelag · 1 km² burned
One of many fires in the great wave of fires in June 1920. Military crews were sent in to put it out.
Trømborgfjella forest fire
30 May 2023 · Indre Østfold and Rakkestad, Østfold · 0.96 km² burned
The fire broke out in the far south of Eidsberg, on the border with Rakkestad, in old pine forest in rough terrain. The fire service was helped by Rakkestad, the Civil Defence, the Red Cross and forest fire helicopters.
Sukkertoppen heath fire
17–19 March 2026 · Ålesund, Møre og Romsdal · 0.8 km² burned
The fire started on Hessa on a Tuesday afternoon in March and spread quickly up towards the mountain Sukkertoppen in steep terrain and strong wind. Around a hundred households and almost 300 people were evacuated, and schools and kindergartens were closed. Rain helped the fire service bring it under control after two days. No houses burned.
Blyberg fire
26 May 1946 · Jevnaker, Akershus · 0.8 km² burned
About 800 decares of forest burned at Blyberg in Jevnaker, the same weekend as several other large forest fires in Eastern Norway.
Salsbruket fire
21–22 June 1969 · Nærøysund, Trøndelag · 0.75 km² burned
700–800 decares of forest burned at Salsbruket in what was then Nærøy municipality. A helicopter from Bodø air station was brought in to help.
Klungland forest fire
8–10 May 2006 · Vindafjord, Rogaland · 0.7 km² burned
Heather burning got out of control and became a forest fire, at the same time as the fire between Vikebygd and Bjoa in the same municipality.
Engerdal grass fire
28 April 2026 · Engerdal, Innlandet · 0.65 km² burned
The fire started in a fire pan and spread to grass and heather. It took two houses, a barn, an outbuilding and around 25 cars. Five people on a neighbouring farm were evacuated. Around 70 firefighters and Civil Defence crew from Trysil, Engerdal and Elverum brought it under control the same evening, helped by a forest fire helicopter.
Eltdalen heath fire
12 September 2013 · Trysil, Innlandet · 0.65 km² burned
A late heath fire in September, in a cabin area in Eltdalen. The cabins were evacuated while around 70 firefighters put the fire out. No buildings were lost.
Usken fire
25–26 May 1969 · Sandnes, Rogaland · 0.6 km² burned
The fire started on Whit Sunday on the island of Usken in the Riskafjord and burned around 600 decares of forest in a few hours. The Sandnes fire service was helped by soldiers from Vatneleiren and fireboats from Stavanger. Careless use of fire is considered the cause.
Tørdal forest fire
6–8 June 1939 · Drangedal, Telemark · 0.55 km² burned
The fire is said to have been started by careless fishermen. After it was put out, a new fire flared up nearby.
Hengsvann forest fire
May 2022 · Kongsberg, Buskerud · 0.5 km² burned
The fire burned in the armed forces' firing and training range at Hengsvann on Meheia. Unexploded ordnance in the terrain made firefighting difficult, and embers stayed in the ground for a long time. Rain finally helped.
Råde fire
9–10 June 2008 · Råde, Østfold · 0.5 km² burned
The fire burned in the same week as the Froland and Konnerud fires, in an unusually dry early summer. Several households and livestock were evacuated. Part of the burned area later became a nature reserve.
Frysjøberget forest fire
5 July 1933 · Grue, Innlandet · 0.5 km² burned
About 500 decares of forest burned at Frysjøberget in the Finnskogen forest during a dry spell with several fires.
Konnerud fire
8–14 June 2008 · Drammen, Buskerud · 0.4 km² burned
A forest fire in the hills at Konnerud, just outside Drammen, in the same dry spell as the Froland fire. Firefighting lasted almost a week.
Maridalen fire
26 June 1992 · Oslo (Maridalen), Oslo · 0.37 km² burned
A fire in the forests around Oslo in the dry summer of 1992, which many in Oslo remember. The burned area at Turtermarka was not replanted but set aside for research on how forest recovers after fire.
Vermundsjøen forest fire
17 July 2018 · Åsnes, Innlandet · 0.3 km² burned
The fire started in the extremely dry summer of 2018, after a round baler overheated. Several households were evacuated, and around 50 dogs were moved to safety.