Smiltene municipality holds forest fire drill with military helicopter support
A civil protection training exercise for extinguishing forest fires took place in Smiltene municipality's Launkalne parish, involving a National Armed Forces Air Force helicopter. The drill aimed to test cooperation and readiness among emergency services.
On Friday, August 28, a civil protection exercise simulating a forest fire response was held in a state forest near Augstkalni road in Launkalne parish, Smiltene municipality. The exercise involved the State Forest Service (VMD), the State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD), and the company "Latvijas Valsts meži" (LVM), aiming to test practical coordination and readiness for complex real-life situations.
According to the scenario, a local forest ranger discovered a large-scale forest fire during a routine patrol. The fire initially covered five hectares, but a change in wind direction spread the flames to a second forest area, bringing the total affected area to 7.7 hectares — classified as a high-danger forest fire. Firefighting efforts involved three specialized VMD vehicles, two VUGD water tankers, and a National Armed Forces (NBS) Air Force helicopter, which dropped water from above over the simulated fire area.
Cooperation and assessment
Māris Bulders, a fire protection engineer at VMD's Vidzeme forestry district, explained that the drills assess how the civil protection plan functions in practice, how VMD staff cooperate with VUGD and LVM, and how technical execution unfolds. He noted that services were mobilized fairly quickly and that overall cooperation was good, though some areas still need improvement.
Agris Šūmanis, head of VMD's forest fire protection, emphasized that coordination between services and logistics are critical, while noting that using the Air Force helicopter is costly, requiring careful evaluation of the most effective resources. He pointed out that a changing climate means Latvia must be prepared to avoid the kind of dramatic forest fires seen this summer in southern Europe. The NBS helicopter last assisted with a forest fire near Garkalne in 2021, while the 2018 Stiklu fire — considered the largest forest fire in Latvia this century — involved four helicopters from multiple countries.
Ervins Labanovskis, chairman of the Smiltene municipal council, also observed the exercise. He said the municipality assisted by contacting the operator of a nearby gas pipeline, "Gaso", and provided information directly to the exercise headquarters.
