Forest fires block Finland-Russia border-crossing

Forest fires have made a northern border-crossing between Finland and Russia impassable, news agency STT reported on Friday.

Finland does not allow east-bound traffic at the Raja-Jooseppi crossing point as Russian border authorities had told them forest fires have cut the highway from the border.

On the Finnish side, the national highway 91 is closed between the border and the village of Ivalo, the national transport authority said.

Fires from Russia have spread into Finnish territory seven kilometers south of the border crossing. Lapland rescue services have established a command center in the town of Rovaniemi and are preparing for wide scale fire combating along the eastern border.

Due to other fires resources are thin and assistance has been asked from the defence forces.

The now closed Raja-Jooseppi is the northernmost crossing between Finland and Russia. The distance to Murmansk via highway is 270 kilometers.