Drought in Norway: Farmers Struggle to Save Crops While Fire Risks Rise and Golf Clubs Suffer

While beach-loving Norwegians flock to beaches and bathing spots, farmers in Eastern Norway are doing what they can to save this year’s crops from the drought.

29-year-old Andreas Næss is a fifth-generation farmer at Greåker in Sarpsborg. After being hit hard by the pandemic and sharp price increases, he, like other farmers, had a very good grain harvest last year.

If it doesn’t rain soon, this year’s crop will be in stark contrast to last year’s.

– The drought is a very big concern. Since we sowed on May 9, we have received 1.5 millimeters of rain. It’s nothing, says Næss, and continues:

– It’s starting to become a crisis.

– Incredibly scary

The farm Næss runs is what he himself describes as a medium-sized farm, with 1,100 acres of grain production.

If the weather is as reported, with temperatures up to 30 degrees Celsius and zero precipitation, it could be a bad business for the farmer.

– The grain is stressed and forced to ripen, which means that the yield is reduced, says the 29-year-old.

He says that it is extra difficult for a young farmer, who has not accumulated any capital.

But it is not only potentially less money that frightens him.

– This is incredibly scary, considering Norway’s preparedness. If there is less grain, preparedness will be worse. We are not as self-sufficient as we should be.

Prohibits the use of open flames

The drought in southern Norway affects far more than the farmers. In recent weeks, fire crews have had to fight the flames in several places in the terrain in Østfold.

The risk of forest fires is so great that the fire chiefs in the eastern region decided on Thursday to introduce a ban on open fires in large parts of Eastern Norway.

Region East consists of Romerike, Follo and Østfold, and has just under 800,000 inhabitants

– There will be a ban on fires and bonfires, but grilling is still allowed where it obviously cannot cause a fire, says fire chief Rigman Pents to NRK.

The ban applies for three weeks, and can be extended if necessary.

In a post on Facebook, Øst 110 central writes that bonfires are small coffee fires, fire pans, storm kitchens and other cooking appliances with fuel. Grill means disposable grills, charcoal grills and gas grills.

Cook: – Be careful

In Sandefjord and Larvik, a ban has already been introduced against the use of open fire in inland areas, including approved bonfires.

On Thursday afternoon, Agder followed suit, and has introduced a total ban on open fires from Friday and three weeks from now.

This means that there is no room for bonfires on Midsummer’s Eve this year.

Edge cutting has also been banned south-east of Oslo due to the risk of forest fires.

– We are following the fire service’s advice to reduce activity that could potentially start a fire, says project manager Glenn Signebøen in Mesta to NTB.

Mowing of statutory visibility zones is becoming more frequent – as is edge mowing along national roads, where there is more traffic and longer distances to forests. Nevertheless, mowing only takes place at night and with extra fire extinguishers.

– There is still some moisture at night, which reduces the risk. That’s why we only mow at night, says Signebøen.

Golf club in crisis

The farmers are not alone in wishing for a good downpour or two.

Sandefjord golf club is struggling with drought. Two weeks before the EC, the only thing growing on the pitch is weeds.

NRK mentioned the problems of the golf club first.

– The shorter the grass, the more water it needs, says managing director Vanja Montgomery.

She says the upcoming championship will have to be played on a course that is “not very pretty”, and that there will be more difficult playing conditions.

– You get more trill. If you hit 150 meters normally, you hit 200 meters now.

The club is still struggling with the injuries from the 2017/2018 season, where a bad winter and hot summer left their mark on the golf course.

Now the same thing is happening again.

– This has consequences for the rest of the season, because we are unable to recover the dying grass, and we have to sow again. There will be big expenses that will accompany us this season and next, says Montgomery.

Fortunately, it’s not all dark.

– The greens are good, and we get compliments on them every day. It is our gold, says the general manager.