The fire that raged for days in the nature reserve near Budel and Weert is under control. The fire brigade reported just before half past ten on Sunday that the signal ‘fire master’ had been given.
Fire officials say road closures have been lifted, but visitors to the area may still see smoke or small flames at times. “The site manager keeps an eye on this and calls in the fire brigade for support where necessary,” she says.
Wide sandy paths constructed to prevent expansion
On Sunday afternoon, the fire brigade, together with the defense department, deployed a so-called ‘Kodiak’ to make the fire manageable. The gigantic army vehicle weighing 62,000 kilos was used to push aside trees and create wide sand paths.
There were still so-called in places that were difficult to reach hotspots where the fire could easily flare up again. The wide sandy paths around these areas were intended to prevent the fire from spreading, a fire brigade spokesperson said.
Special help from abroad to fight fire
The fire broke out on Thursday afternoon at a military training area near the Geuzendijk. Because other large wildfires were raging at the same time, firefighters from Belgium, France and Germany were called in to extinguish the fire.
Their efforts were no longer necessary on Saturday evening. On Saturday, specialist fire teams who fought the fire with hand tools were sent to the wildfire to help. The storm forced firefighters to leave the area.
