Wildfire in western Latvia destroys over 100 hectares of forest, peatland

Firefighters on Wednesday battled a major wildfire that was raging in the western Latvian district of Talsi, destroying large swathes of forest territory and peatland, rescue services aid.

The blaze quickly spread to a more than 100 hectare large area amid persistently hot, dry and windy weather, representatives of the State Fire and Rescue Service said.

A total of 17 fire brigades were dispatched to tackle the fire on Wednesday, with equipment of the State Forest Service and an army helicopter also involved in the operation. Rescuers said that the flames were not posing any danger to local residents as there were no home in the area effected by the wildfire.

"It is still windy, and because of the persistent dry spell, flames have been spreading swiftly. Work is ongoing to contain the fire, which has affected a large territory. We are talking about more than 100 hectares, but the exact size of the burnt area will be established after the fire is brought under control," said Inta Palkavniece, a spokeswoman for the State Fire and Rescue Service, adding that the area is really boggy and difficult to access with all the necessary firefighting equipment.

Representatives of the Latvian State Forest Service warned that because of the prolonged heat and drought, fire hazard in Latvia's forests is especially high this summer. They urged people to be especially cautious when handling fire outdoors.