Newsweek in plain Finnish | Sunday 2.8.2026

Wildfires. Finnish economy. Berry trade. African swine fever. July weather.

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You can read the news simultaneously below.

European wildfires

Firefighter in front of a burning forest.

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The terrain is now also burning in Greece. Photo: Vasilis Psomas / EPA

First, let’s talk about wildfires.

A large wildfire in southwestern France has been brought under control. The French Interior Minister says the fire is not yet out, but it is no longer spreading.

The wildfire broke out over a week ago. It spread over 40,000 hectares and threatened the city of Bordeaux. More than 200,000 people were forced to flee the fire. They are now able to return home.

Wildfires have also been extinguished in Spain, Greece and Turkey. The situation in Spain is already better, but in Greece, strong winds are making extinguishing work difficult.

Western and Southern Europe have had a hot summer. Wildfires spread easily in hot weather.

Finnish economy

Then economic news from home.

The Finnish economy is growing. The economy grew by almost one percent in the spring.

The economy grows because people buy goods and use services more than before.

Berry shop

A white bucket with blueberries, leaves and branches stands on a gray asphalt surface.

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Finns have become enthusiastic about picking and selling blueberries and other wild berries. Photo: Mikko Savolainen / Yle

The organic berry trade is now booming.

Berry companies say that there are now three times as many berry sellers as last year. Berry trading is also brisk online.

Finns are excited to pick wild berries because they are now fetching a good price. Berry companies, for example, are paying around 4.5 euros per liter for blueberries. That is 3 euros more than last year.

African swine fever

Border fence in the border zone in Virolahti.

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The sick wild boars may have come from Russia, as there are gaps in the eastern border barrier. Photo: Antro Valo / Yle

Then the topic is a new animal disease.

African swine fever has been found in Finland.

Wild boars were found on the eastern border in Virolahti, which have died of African swine fever. It is now forbidden to pick mushrooms or berries, do forestry work or walk dogs near the site of the discovery.

African swine fever is a serious disease that spreads easily. It does not infect humans, but pigs or wild boars will die from the disease.

African swine fever has not previously occurred in Finland.

July weather

Dark rain clouds fill the sky. At the bottom, roof ridges and treetops.

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Rain clouds are approaching Helsinki. Photo: Tina Lundán / Yle

Another thing about the weather in July.

July was rainy in the western parts of the country. The Finnish Meteorological Institute reports that in some places there was even unusually heavy rainfall.

The heaviest rainfall occurred in Multia in Central Finland, with approximately 220 millimeters of rain falling there during July.

There were a total of 15 hot days in July. However, the sun shone less than usual throughout the country.

The highest temperature in July was around 31 degrees. It was measured on July 12 in Pyhtää in southeastern Finland.

This was Uutisviikko in plain Finnish - see you again next week!