EU nations help Sweden as wildfires rage above Arctic Circle

Smoke rises from just beyond a bank of trees and homes, as a wildfire threatens large tracts of land, outside Ljusdal, Sweden, Tuesday July 17, 2018. This is one of about 80 wildfires reported in Sweden, due to the dry weather. (Maja Suslin / TT via AP)

As of Friday, over 50 blazes were torching forests, mostly in central and western Sweden but also in the north, above the Arctic Circle, and on the Baltic Sea island of Gotland.

No deaths or injuries have been reported so far but large evacuations have taken place and thousands of people have been warned to remain inside with the windows shut to avoid breathing the smoky air. Finland and Norway have also reported wildfires in the past few days.

An aircraft helps to stop the advancing wildfire near to homes, outside Ljusdal, Sweden, Tuesday July 17, 2018. This is one of about 80 wildfires reported in Sweden, due to the dry weather. (Maja Suslin / TT via AP)

Some 500 voluntary soldiers from the Swedish military have been dispatched to help with Black Hawk helicopters in the central region of Alvdalen.

In some areas emergency rescue services have called for all able-bodied men to help out putting the wildfires that have raged this week.

"This is a serious situation and the risk for forest fires is extremely high in the whole country," said Jakob Wernerman, operative head of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency that is coordinating firefighting efforts.

Smoke rises after a wildfire swept through the large forest area in Pyh'ranta, Finland, Wednesday July 18, 2018. About twenty residential buildings have been evacuated. (Roni Lehti/Lehtikuva via AP)

The fires have come as Europe's Nordic region has experienced an intense heat wave in the past week. Temperatures have reached over 32 degrees Celsius (90 Fahrenheit) throughout Finland, Norway and Sweden. The weather also has been dry with no substantial rain for weeks — making the region's brush and forests highly flammable.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said Friday that his government is working "every minute" to get necessary resources to the hundreds of firefighters and emergency workers.

Sweden has received assistance — including water-bombing planes, helicopters and staff — from Italy, France and Norway. Denmark, Germany and Lithuania have also pledged to help.

In this photo taken on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, smoke billows from a fire outside Ljusdal, Sweden. Sweden is fighting its most serious wildfires in decades, including blazes above the Arctic Circle, prompting the government to seek help from the military, hundreds of volunteers and other European nations. As of Friday, over 50 blazes were torching forests, mostly in central and western Sweden but also in the north, above the Arctic Circle, and on the Baltic Sea island of Gotland. (Maja Suslin/TT via AP)

France on Thursday delivered two Canadair CL-415 water-bombing planes, which can carry 6,000 liters (1,585 gallons) of water at a time. Italy dispatched similar planes to Sweden earlier this week.

CORRECTING LOCATION - In this aerial photo showing the advancing fire around Ljusdal, Sweden, as a wildfire sweeps through the large forest area Wednesday July 18, 2018. Dry weather has endangered large tracts of forest and many residential areas.(Maja Suslin/Lehtikuva via AP)

Swedish media have shown dramatic footage of blazing forests, helicopters dropping water and firefighters trying to put out flames.

The Aftonbladet tabloid has run a special section titled "Sweden is burning!" that just covers news on the blazes. In an interview, water-carrying helicopter pilot Bjorn Franzen noted the difficulty of the mission.

In this photo taken on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, smoke billows from a fire outside Ljusdal, Sweden. (Maja Suslin/TT via AP)

"We fly mostly in low altitude. It's often difficult to see anything from the smoke," he told Aftonbladet. "It can be extremely difficult to see where our input is needed. Sometimes the wind changes direction and then we need to resort to different tactics."

HONOLULU (AP) — A judge on Friday forced the Hawaii attorney general's office to turn over to lawyers involved in the hundreds of lawsuits over last summer's Maui wildfires all documents, interviews and data collected by the outside team hired to investigate the disaster.

Attorneys representing plaintiffs suing over the August fires filed a motion last month asking a judge to compel the state provide them with the material gathered by the Fire Safety Research Institute, which was hired by the state to investigate.

The state refused, saying disclosing the records would “jeopardize and hinder” the investigation. In court documents opposing the motion, the state called the request “premature, baseless and frivolous,” and asked a judge to order that attorneys fees be paid to the state for defending against the motion.

Soon after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century ripped through the historic town of Lahaina and killed 101 people, Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez announced hiring outside investigators. Last month Lopez and representatives from the Fire Safety Research Institute released a report on the first phase of the investigation. While the report showed a broad communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without emergency alerts that the former head of the emergency management agency did not return until the day after the fire started, it did not draw conclusions about actions taken by officials.

During a Friday hearing on the island of Maui, state Deputy Attorney General David Matsumiya told Judge Peter Cahill the state is concerned that releasing information could prompt the six people who haven't been interviewed yet to change their stories.

Cahill balked.

“Do you really believe that's going to be happening?” he asked, clearly upset. “And so what if they change their stories? Aren't they entitled to?”

Cahill seemed to indicate concerns with the investigation, including whether people interviewed were advised that they weren't obligated to answer questions.

“By the way, the taxpayers are paying for this,” the judge continued.

Lopez said last month the investigation contract was initially not to exceed $1.5 million, but because they are behind schedule, the contract was extended. According to an updated contract, the cost increased by $2.5 million, not to exceed a total of $4 million.

The judge's order is of “grave concern,” the attorney general's office said in a statement after the hearing.

“The independent, objective fact-finding process and analysis is critical to determining what county and state agencies must do to ensure that a tragedy like this never happens again,” the statement said. “Premature release of these materials may allow external factors to influence the analysis.”

The attorney general is reviewing options and will soon decide on an appropriate course of action.

Cahill told Matsumiya he understands the state's concerns, but not giving the information to the attorneys would delay litigation. The investigation is important, and it was a wise investment to hire an outside agency given the state lacks a fire marshal, he said, “but it's also important that people have their day in court.”

Cahill noted there are some 400 lawsuits involving thousands of plaintiffs.

“It's frustrating the process of litigation,” Cahill said, “which is also a truth-seeking mechanism.”

David Minkin, an attorney representing Maui County, suggested to the judge that the investigative process was tainted.

Investigators “showed up in Lahaina, said we're here from the AG's office and started talking to people,” without informing them of their rights, he said.

Matsumiya said the state is trying to “protect the integrity of the investigation, which is designed to create a better future for Lahaina, and all of those people in Lahaina."

But Cahill responded that “the past in this case, given what's occurred on this island, needs to be taken care of as well,” and that litigation will determine whether there were any legal breaches of duty.

This version clarifies the while the Hawaii attorney general's April report showed the former head of Maui's emergency management agency did not return until the day after the fire started, it did not draw conclusions about actions taken by officials.

FILE - Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez and members of the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) hold a press conference on the Maui Wildfire Phase One Report findings on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Honolulu. A judge on Friday, May 3, 2024, forced the Hawaii attorney general's turn over to lawyers involved in the hundreds of lawsuits over last summer's Maui wildfires all documents, interviews and data collected by the outside team hired to investigate the deadly disaster. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia, File)

FILE - The aftermath of a wildfire is visible in Lahaina, Hawaii, Aug. 17, 2023. A judge on Friday, May 3, 2024, forced the Hawaii attorney general's turn over to lawyers involved in the hundreds of lawsuits over last summer's Maui wildfires all documents, interviews and data collected by the outside team hired to investigate the deadly disaster. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)