In this article, I explore local mobilisation in rural communities during the large and numerous wildfires in Swedish forests in 2018. The aim of the article is to examine how the crisis caused by the forest fires activated rural networks and resource mobilisation in a local context. The study shows strong evidence of social cohesion closely linked to place, history and heritage. Emergent and informal groups emerged as central to the local perspective, as did professionals in forestry and agriculture. Finally, I discuss whether the focus on resilience can mask the lack of national preparedness and the critical potential in speaking of an urban norm. The main contribution of this article is to bring local rural conditions to the fore, showing the importance of timing, local networks and skills in disaster response in a rural context, while also questioning the power hierarchies and structures that lead to the denial and lack of recognition of rural resources and values.
Maria Vallström (Sat,) studied this question.