A foreign cyclist decided it would be best, after relieving himself in a rural West Iceland lava field, to burn the toilet paper instead of risking it being carried away with the wind.
As dirty toilet paper has become a major, and disgusting, problem in the Icelandic countryside in the past year or two, he probably felt burning the paper was the next-best available option to actually being able to find a real toilet.
However, things went awry when the toilet paper caught fire to dry moss covering the lava field near Bifröst in Norðurárdalur.
Mbl reports that after emptying all his drinking water on the fire, he admitted defeat and called the fire brigade to the embarrassing scene.
West Iceland police are warning people to be especially careful with fire at the moment, as vegetation is particularly dry.
In related news, the ongoing scandal of outdoor “calls of nature” is making itself felt at Jökusárlón glacial lagoon—even though there are free toilets available.
The toilets are only open between 09.00 and 19.00 every day, but that shouldn’t be a problem because camping and overnight stays are not permitted in the area. The trouble being, however, that people break these rules, with a minimum of three or four tents in the area every night.
Tourists are politely reminded to camp only in designated campsites.
