In brief
A blizzard of heat and wind has turned Drammen, a town west of Oslo, into a scene of devastation as a wildfire has destroyed more than 100 houses and gutted nearby forest. Rescue officials report hundreds evacuated and no casualties so far, while firefighters scramble to contain the blaze with the help of emergency air support. The fire, still out of control, spread rapidly thanks to dry weather, inhaling local air across the region.
A massive wildfire has ravaged Drammen, a town about 30 miles west of Oslo, destroying more than 100 homes and threatening the surrounding forest.
Rescue officials confirmed that hundreds of residents have been evacuated from the area, but there are no reports of casualties or missing people at this time.
Dozens of firefighters – aided by emergency helicopter water drops – are working to tame the blaze, which has now crossed into a nearby woodland, leaving the situation still out of control.
Sources say that the exact origins of the fire remain uncertain, but the rapid spread is attributed to the unusually dry and hot conditions in recent weeks.
Local Red Cross worker Thomas Evjen told Reuters that the heat and dryness have made the fire spread “very quickly” once it started.
