In this report, we investigate local mobilisation in small rural communities during the large and numerous wildfires in the Swedish forests in 2018. The aim is to investigate how the crisis caused by the forest fires activated rural networks and resource mobilisation in local communities affected by the forest fires. The main contribution is to provide empirical evidence on the importance of timing, local networks and skills in disaster response in a rural context, while also questioning whether this should be necessary in a welfare state. The study shows strong evidence of social cohesion, which is closely linked to place, but also important areas of conflict. A key factor in the success of the firefighting effort was the lack of prestige and close cooperation between the official emergency services and people with local knowledge and networks. Emergent and autonomous groups, as well as local emergency services based on local networks and agricultural and forestry enterprises, were particularly important, as they proved to be central from a local perspective. However, they are not always recognised as a resource in evaluations and reports of forest fires. Finally, we discuss whether the lack of national preparedness for the fires can be seen as a consequence of an urban norm and the withdrawal of the welfare state from rural Sweden in general, and how this affects the sense of trust, democracy and justice among the inhabitants.