Caravan burns to the ground in Valkeala

In Mikkeli, many motorhome and caravan owners prefer to spend the night not at campsites but at the free harbour parking area or in so-called bush parks. On a Tuesday in July, the 24-hour harbour parking was nearly full.

On a stretch between Tervola and Keminmaa, a motorhome driver ignored a no-overtaking zone and pulled alongside a truck. Truck driver Jesse said he barely had time to swerve. The incident was captured on video by a witness.

A 47-year-old man in Oulu, Finland, has been sentenced to prison for stealing a motorhome worth over €50,000. In late October–early November 2023, he broke into a commercial premises, stole property and the motorhome keys, then drove the vehicle away, damaging it and crashing through a fence. He later drove the motorhome into a ditch, rendering it a total loss.

The Western Uusimaa police are searching for a missing man, approximately 70 years old, who left his home in Vihti, Selki, on Thursday 23 July at around 9:45 a.m. in a white Hymer motorhome with license plate HCZ-602. The man has short light-brown hair and glasses and may be traveling by motorhome or other means. Anyone with sightings of the man or the vehicle is asked to call the emergency number 112.

Finland has a thriving culture of overnight stops in places not designated for camping. Yle journalists interviewed travelers in three cities and identified the main rules and restrictions. The key distinction is between permitted overnight parking and prohibited camping: setting out chairs, a table or a grill is already considered a violation. Landowners and municipalities may restrict parking, for example by introducing parking discs.

The closing ceremony of the Iskelmäviikot festival in Kiuruvesi has been cancelled due to heavy rain. The event was scheduled for noon on the town square, featuring community singing with an orchestra and the arrival of the Yle 100 bus. The previous day, water flooded the festival area, requiring assistance from the North Savo rescue service. According to organizers, water remains on the caravan site, and some vehicles may need to be towed out with a tractor.