Birgitte M. R. Johnsen Illustration & Design

Forest fire

In the summer of 2018 there were several forest fires in Norway. One such fire stretched 20 kilometers along a train line, which was investigated by the Accident Investigation Board Norway, to find the cause and how to avoid further fires.

The article details the cause of the forest and shrub fires (also detailed below), but also the Accident Investigation Board Norway’s recommendation of how to prevent similar fires from happening at a later point.

Media: Digital illustration and layout created in InDesign.
Magazine mockup showing the article layout including illustrations for a story regarding how a fire started.
Fire along both sides of a train track.
Media: Digital.

The forest and shrub fires were on both sides of the train tracks. While the fires were originally put out within twenty four hours, the fire department continued with fire preventive measures for another seventy two hours.

Sparks fly from a freight cart, as the breaks are engaged by accident.
Media: Digital.

The cause of the fires were found to be a passing freight train which had a freight car with the breaks were engaged on 4 of 6 sets of its axles. Due to the warm and dry weather the sparks easily ignited the surrounding shrubs and trees.