De Peel nature reserve has changed unrecognizable, five years after the big fire that set up eight hundred hectares. It started that 20 April 2020 with a white plume of smoke, but soon grew into a devastating sea of flames. For six weeks it burned on the Deurnese Peel. More than two thousand firefighters were deployed and local residents had to be evacuated as a precaution. The Peelbrand was one of the largest natural fires ever.
According to Wally Paridaans, director of Nature Brand Management of the Brabant-Zuidoost Safety Region, the nature reserve has been tackled in recent years to make it more fire-safe. After the destructive sea of fire, there was criticism about the management of the area and the fact that the fire brigade had difficulty access, which allowed the fire to wrap around it for a long time. The drought and the strong wind were also important factors when the fire gets out of the hand.
De Peel has now completely changed, five years later. Where there was once forest with dry ferns, is now water. The trees slowly sink into the swamp. That is not just to make the area more fire -safe. Owner Staatsbosbeheer would love to expand the unique peat and more water is needed.
Paridan walks along a large canal on the quay. “The fire just struck about this, we didn’t expect that,” he says. “That was due to flying fire, in which burning parts of ferns spread the canal. But the vegetation was also very closed here. Boom tops on both sides of the canal almost touched each other.”
“The area is now split into parts, making it more difficult.”
That is different now. All vegetation has been removed and water has taken over the area. “The area has now been split into parts, which reduces the chance that a large area will burn,” he says.
But there are no guarantees. The nature fire manager cannot exclude that a large area could again catch fire on the Peel. The area is kept closely. Last Saturday a fire was quickly under control. But the big fire in the Loonse and Drunense Duinen, last weekend, shows that vigilance is needed.
And so no cigarettes or open fire on the Peel, these days. If the fire gets the chance, it can simply hit the water and the trees and grass pollen that are still there are prey again.
“We have learned a lot in recent years,” says Paridaans. “Everyone has much more consultation and better contact with each other. We not only look at the fire extinguishing, but also at how we can influence vegetation so that the fire stops.”
One of the big culprits, the dry ferns, disappear from the area. “More water has also had an effect on the plants,” says Paridan. “One plant burns harder than the other. Ferns are very dry and light, that’s why they ensure flying fire. Other plants that are coming now burn less loudly.”
According to him, a lot still has to be done to make the Peel more fire -safe. “Nature management is a continuous process. The annual maintenance to keep all vegetation away and to maintain the compartments always comes back.”
“It was a fierce period.”
Paridaans proudly looks back at how his people worked at De Peel at the time. For six weeks, day and night, the firefighters fought fire on the Peel with heavy equipment. “It was a fierce period. On the edge of a natural fire you sometimes see firefighters waiting. But the field is working incredibly hard.”