Iceland’s Highland Rescuers Particularly Busy This Summer

Volunteers from 30 different rescue squads have been on watch across Iceland’s Highlands, as an early start to the summer has met more visitors than usual.

RÚV reports that there are four bases of operations for these volunteers, located at Landmannalaugar, Nýjadal, Askja and Skaftafell.

Jónas Guðmundsson, who works for the Landsbjörg rescue team, told reporters that they have all had their hands full.

“There’s just a lot more to do than there was last year,” he said. “Last year, it was actually wet, cold and miserable, so few people went into the Highlands that summer. But even taking this into account, it has still been an unusually busy summer. People are getting lost, and we’ve been attending to all kinds of broken legs,” with the highest level of activity being on the Fjallabaksleið route, which is a popular one with tourists.

Jónas is certain that their patrols and rescues will be continuing into the next year, as the demand remains high.

“We are always assessing the situation as things progress,” he said. “But there is always a total need for the job and we’ve received many thanks from rangers and others who work in the Highlands.”