Dozens of forest wildfires are raging across Sweden, prompting the country to ask for emergency EU help to fight the blazes, which broke out during an extreme heatwave in the region.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) said two Italian firefighting aircraft have been sent to assist in badly hit areas of central Sweden, while Norway has dispatched six helicopters.
Swedish authorities said 44 fires are burning across the country, urging locals living close to the blazes in the central counties of Gavleborg, Jamtland and Dalarna to evacuate.
Even northern Swedish Lapland, inside the Arctic Circle, has been affected.
Five wildfires are burning in the forests outside the town of Jokkmokk, a popular tourist destination in the winter.
"The last time we saw wildfires of this calibre was 12 years ago," rescue officer Thomas Andersson said.
Fire chief Britta Ramberg said the fire in Jamtland was "the largest and spreading the fastest".
The fire there has already engulfed 2,500 hectares and is spreading by 10 square metres a minute, authorities said.
No casualties have been reported so far.
Forecasters have in recent days warned of extremely hot temperatures in Sweden, saying it's "unusual" for a heatwave to last this long.
Record temperatures above 33 degrees Celsius were reported in Uppsala, a city north of Stockholm, and more than 30 degrees Celsius throughout the rest of the country.
Neighbouring Norway was hit by wildfires in 100 locations in the south last week, some of which were triggered by lightning.
