From today, Friday, May 24, a fire hazard season is in effect in those two counties, though not in the rest of Estonia at the time of writing, which includes a ban on smoking and on using motor vehicles in forested or other wilderness areas.

Janar Kärner, head of the Eastern Rescue Center, noted the most challenging to put out and prolonged fires have been seen in peat areas and in the forests.

"Plant dust falling on the hot components of a running motor vehicle can ignite instantly. A spark from the exhaust can also set the dry landscape or peat ablaze," Kärner explained.

The tinder dry conditions mean smoking is hazardous too, and care should be taken in those areas where there is not a full ban at present.

"The public must remember that during very dry periods, vegetation can ignite from even the smallest spark," Kärner continued, via a Rescue Board press release.

"Consequently we ask people to avoid making campfires and grilling in nature during this fire hazard period," he went on.

The Rescue Board has banned driving motor vehicles and smoking in risk areas, meaning forests and areas with peat soil, in Ida- and Lääne-Viru counties.

Exceptions apply only to agricultural and other work vehicles, while the ban will remain in effect until the fire hazard order is amended or lifted.

After a cold April, May brought warn and dry conditions, often accompanied by breezes which can help to spread any brushfire which might have broken out.

So far there have been just under 80 forest and grassland fires reported in Lääne-Viru and Ida-Viru counties alone, affecting a total of 75 hectares.

Two large wildfires have been reported in Ida-Viru County alone in the past few days, including one at a landfill site which required the services of fire crews from several stations in the surrounding area, along with those of the volunteer Päästeliit.

Outside of the warning zone, forest fires were reported in Rapla and Pärnu counties Thursday, also necessitating widespread call-outs.

This means not driving in wilderness areas elsewhere, refraining from making campfires or barbecues, and exercising caution when smoking – as well as being careful to discard all glass refuse – are practices which should be followed in the natural environment across Estonia.

According to the Environmental Agency's (Keskkonnaagentuur) weather forecast and fire risk map, a high fire risk in these counties, and risk levels are expected to rise in the coming days.

The emergency number is the pan-European 112.

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