Three years ago the forest fires in Dalarna, Gävleborg and Jämtland - so the firefighters remember

- They felt quite powerless, says Johan Wickenberg, deputy rescue chief in Jämtland's rescue association.

Airplanes and helicopters make a difference

Both Wickenberg, and Johan Szymanski, who was the rescue leader at the big fire in Trängslet in Dalarna, claim that the Swedish preparedness for forest fires has improved compared to three years ago.

The explanation is a better firefighting flight.  

- There is better access to helicopters and aircraft for firefighting and now the state takes the cost, says Szymanski.  

- We have used this resource a lot both last year and this year.

The flying resources can limit the spread of fire in an effective way.

Then we get there with ground staff, says Wickenberg.  

People were evacuated

The summer of 2018 was rain-poor and the risk of fire was extreme in large parts of the country.

Skogsbrandsflyget, which normally detects 100 fires, located more than 500 fires that summer. 

Jämtland County had 89 recorded fires during the last half of July. 

- There were times when I wondered where it would all bark.

It was a very strained situation and the alarms just kept falling in, Wickenberg remembers. 

A total of 25,000 hectares of the Swedish forest burned.

In both Dalarna and Gävleborg, people were forced to evacuate.

Kårböle in Ljusdal municipality in Gävleborg was worst affected.

The village was surrounded by three fire areas and the residents were evacuated for just over two weeks.

Despite the efforts, buildings also burned. 

Many volunteers helped

Still, it is something completely different that the two rescue leaders we spoke to want to highlight.  

- The enormous willingness to help that existed, says Johan Szymanski, rescue leader at the big fire in Trängslet in Dalarna. 

Locals and civilians from across the country helped with the fires.

There was also help from abroad.   

- It was a fantastically positive experience that made you sometimes almost forget how hard it was out there, Szymanski remembers. 

Johan Wickenberg agrees.

- When I came to Sveg and met these voluntary resources, the feeling of powerlessness changed.

That's the part I carry with me.

Start the clip below to take part in three memorable events from the 2018 forest fires.