The state needs to strengthen disaster preparedness

It became, in a way, the shattering summer. The intense heat, which never wanted to end. Emergency slaughter of animals because of the lack of feed. Since the violent fires that tore up the black wound in the Swedish forests. And that the emergency services had so desperately hard to get a grip on.

many people made the summer's heat, drought and fires climate change is uncomfortably real. And showed that our preparations for a new normality, where the different forms of extreme weather are expected to become more common, are not sufficient.

featured government investigators, Jan-Åke Björklund, his report on how the fires were handled. It confirms much of the picture that emerged already during the summer, both the bright spots and flaws.

To pluskontot can in particular be added that, although researched in the scope, and the price the landowner had to pay, so was the human and societal costs to the end of the limited. No civilians died or were seriously injured. No permanent homes burned to the ground. Critical infrastructure survived. Emergency services – notes the investigation – managed with it, which ultimately is their main task.

What makes criticism particularly serious is that, in many ways is a repetition of what was brought forward after the big fire in Västmanland, sweden four years earlier.

To this may be added the civil society rapid and powerful mobilization. The red cross, Lottakårerna, volunteers who in various ways assisted fighting the fire.

that the shortcomings in the management of the fires were significant. With the proper preparation had their scope considerably narrowed down. What makes this criticism particularly serious is that, in many ways is a repetition of what was brought forward after the big fire in Västmanland, sweden four years earlier. It emphasises that the preparation could have been better. Had the lesson from the 2014 made, the effects become less.

The major investigation carried out after the fire in Västmanland ruled that the lack of crisis management and coordination, and had a devastating impact. Limited resources at the local level and poor communication between the municipalities was that it was difficult to get an overview of the researched scope, which slowed down släckningsinsatserna. The same pattern repeated itself in the province of Hälsingland in the summer.

suggestions to help småkommuner to connect in larger municipalities krisledningssystem and to strengthen the Authority for civil protection and preparedness (MSB) the right and ability to take overall responsibility. They should have been implemented.

Already during the summer, it was also clear that the emergency services suffered from a lack of important resources. In places the missing hose. The struggle to get enough brandhelikoptrar was a serial. The investigation confirms the capability shortfalls and adds a number of additional type of equipment.

the notes may not individual fires be linked to climate change, but the growing greenhouse effect increases the features of extreme weather, including droughts, and thus the risk of large forest fires.

the State's most central task is, as a common policy of insurance against accidents which no single individual can protect themselves against war and natural disasters. When the risks are rising also need premium to do it.

We often focus on reducing carbon dioxide emissions to limit the extent of climate change. But we must also adapt society to the rise in temperatures that is already a fact. They include, in particular, that the state is strengthening its disaster preparedness.