A 21-year-old woman from Stockholm has been convicted after a forest fire was ignited during a canoe trip in the archipelago north of Västervik. Despite being trained in outdoor activities, she accidentally started the fire by burning toilet paper, leading to a blaze that covered half a football field. The court sentenced her to fines for reckless endangerment.
21-Year-Old from Stockholm Starts Forest Fire During Canoe Trip, Faces Charges
21-Year-Old from Stockholm Starts Forest Fire During Canoe Trip, Faces Charges
A restroom break ended in a significant forest fire. The woman has now been convicted.
A 21-year-old woman from Stockholm was on a canoe trip in the archipelago north of Västervik when she and a friend landed on an island.
On that particular day, there was an "extremely high fire risk," according to the rescue services.
The woman urinated in the forest and set fire to the paper. Soon, the terrain was ablaze, with flames spreading over an area the size of half a football field.
The 21-year-old explained during interrogation that she was trained in outdoor activities and acted out of habit, not thinking it through.
The woman has now been convicted of reckless endangerment, a crime that can result in fines or imprisonment for up to two years.
District Court's Justification
In the verdict, Kalmar District Court stated that the woman "carelessly handled fire, causing a blaze" and "caused damage to the terrain and risked the fire spreading into a larger forest fire." The court also noted that she left the scene without ensuring the paper was properly extinguished.
The woman, who admitted to the charges, was sentenced to 40 daily fines of 50 kronor each, totaling 2,000 kronor.