A recent wildfire near Skagen, Denmark, highlights the ongoing risk of forest fires, but experts say the overall risk in Denmark is not necessarily increasing despite climate change and plans for increased forestation. Professor Emeritus Jørgen Bo Larsen, an expert in the field, asserts that Denmark is not particularly vulnerable to fires.

The Skagen fire, which consumed around 75 hectares, occurred under conditions of high temperatures, drought, and a source of ignition. Coniferous forests, like the one in Skagen, are more susceptible to fire than deciduous forests due to the presence of flammable oils in spruce needles and the greater amount of dry, flammable material on the forest floor. This is consistent with past large fires in Denmark, which have often occurred in coniferous forests.

While climate models predict increasing temperatures and drought, and the government plans to increase forest area by 40% in the next 20 years, the focus is on planting mixed forests, which are more robust against storms and fire. Mixed forests also benefit biodiversity.

The incorporation of deciduous trees helps to ensure that Danish forests, which are being developed as CO₂ banks, are not destroyed by storms or fires. Scots pine is the only naturally native coniferous tree in Denmark, with other species being imported. Fires can, in the long term, be beneficial for biology, shaking up nature and its variation.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Skagen fire flared up again, raising concerns among firefighters. From 2020 to 2024, there was an average of 131 fires per year in Danish forests and plantations.