Increased risk of wildfires in North Holland due to drought and heat

The persistent drought of the past few weeks has already caused two major wildfires in North Holland. “If it is dry for a while and the temperature is high, there only needs to be a piece of glass or plastic that can cause a flame to start. It is important that you are very alert and call 112 immediately,” says Suzanne Hemmer, spokesperson Security Region Zaanstreek-Waterland.

Highest stage of readiness

On Monday evening, drones were deployed in the Purmerbos to see where the fires were and to gain an overview of which area was on fire. Staatsbosbeheer Zaanstreek-Waterland has decided to spray preventively in their nature reserves, says Hemmer.

After the dune fire in Sint Maartenszee, the North Holland North Safety Region has declared ‘phase 2’: the highest phase of preparedness when it comes to the risk of wildfires. Open fires and smoking are prohibited in nature reserves and it is important that you are alert and do not leave any waste in nature.

When fighting a wildfire, the fire service initially focuses on creating a ‘knockdown’ in which you throw as much water as possible on the fire in a short period of time to cool it down. If this fails, this means a tipping point and other techniques are switched to, such as the creation of stop lines, which are strips that are kept wet to prevent the spread of fire so that the vegetation of plants becomes non-combustible, and the deployment of fire helicopters and Defense personnel. . “We may ask other security regions for assistance with their specialist units,” said Linda Kat, spokesperson for the North Holland North security region.

That was the case in the Schoorlse Duinen where in 2009 An fire in the dunes spread to the forest. As a result, 550 people from the surrounding area had to leave their homes. Nature managers and the environment are extra alert to this measures to combat wildfires: “We have water points throughout the nature reserve to be able to tap water quickly, the paths are pruned so that they are easily accessible for the fire brigade and there is a code on the benches that you can pass on when you call the emergency services , so that they immediately know where the fire is raging in the area,” says forest ranger Samuelle van Deutekom.

Prevent

Ninety to ninety-five percent of wildfires are started consciously or unconsciously by visitors, Kat indicates: “If safety region, we continue to warn residents about the drought in nature and inform them about the things they can do themselves.”

Hemmer says that it is important that you are alert as a visitor: “If you see something smoldering as a walker or cyclist, call 112 immediately so that action can be taken immediately.”

Also in the dunes of Schoorl, forest ranger Samuelle van Deutekom says that it is important to call the fire brigade immediately: “Unfortunately, we have already had some small fires this year. Fortunately, visitors called the fire brigade very quickly, so that it could be extinguished quickly. to be able to act, it is really important that you call 112 and not a forest ranger. Then it takes too long.”

In collaboration with nature managers, the Security Regions also look at types of vegetation and the mixing of different types. “Certain vegetation is more susceptible to fire, such as pines, for example. If you live near a nature reserve, it is also important to take these tips with you,” says Kat.

Impact

According to forester Samuelle, the Schoorl wildfire still has a lot of impact on the environment. “There is still a lot of talk about the fire. You notice that people here are more concerned about the nature reserve and are very aware of the dangers. I think they are more inclined to call the emergency services, because something like this should never happen again.”