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Norway calls in military to relieve exhausted fire service as one dies fighting forest blaze

The Local Norway
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Norway calls in military to relieve exhausted fire service as one dies fighting forest blaze
A photo from July 12th showing forest fores at Skammefjellet, Valle, Setesdal. Photo: Rolf Andre Grimsby / NTB scanpix

A firefighter has died as a result of his injuries after a reported accident while fighting one of a number of forest fires that raged in Norway during the weekend.

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The fires, which have affected several parts of southern Norway, are straining emergency services to such an extent that the Home Guard has been deployed to relieve fire services in some areas.

A firefighter who took part in an action at a forest fire in Nes in Akershus country died at Ullevål Hospital on Sunday, VG reports.

Police confirmed to the newspaper the death of the man following “an accident connected to the firefighting action”.

He was given first aid but the scene but later died due to his injuries. He is reported to have been found by colleagues after being alone when the accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, according to VG’s report.

“The incident appears to us to have been an acute health problem,” lead firefighter John Arne Karlsen said to VG.

The Bykle area of Aust-Agder county will see the Home Guard relieve firefighters in some areas on Monday, NTB reports.

On Saturday, almost 40 separate forest fires raged in the counties of Telemark and Agder. Although the situation improved on Sunday, Norway’s civil defence service has now been called in to assist in the firefighting effort.

Seven helicopters have been deployed to fight fires in the Aust-Agder, Østfold and Akershus counties, while there were also forest fires in Telemark, Vest-Agder and Oppland.

“The situation today is significantly better than yesterday, and that is because of the formidable efforts that were made to put out these fires,” Anne Rygh Pedersen of the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection told NTB on Sunday evening.

Pedersen also said that fire crews including a helicopter were still working to bring a blaze at Drangedal in Telemark under control.

“We have many tired teams today. Team leaders are naturally taking the necessary safety considerations and we have received good support from the home guard,” she said.

READ ALSO: Norway's emergency services battle with forest fires

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