Fire brigade wants more rules and supervision for fire control in nature

The Netherlands urgently needs rules and a person with ultimate responsibility for fire control in nature reserves. That is the view of Anton Slof-stra, commander of the Gelderland-Midden fire brigade region and portfolio holder for wildfires at the Netherlands Fire Brigade. This is currently lacking, while the frequency and size of fires are increasing, partly due to the consequences of climate change.

According to Slofstra, a national authority should supervise the rules. “It already exists in every other area where there are major physical risks.” At the same time, such a person ultimately responsible at national level, just as the Delta Commissioner looks at flood prevention and national water management, must look at necessary long-term measures. “We are now making choices for the coming decades, sometimes even a hundred years.”

Few rules for nature

All kinds of regulations now exist for buildings and their surroundings, but not for nature, the fire chief points out. „If I want to start a campsite next to a chemical company, that is not allowed. If I want to start that same campsite in the middle of a nature reserve with only one escape route, nothing stands in my way in terms of fire safety regulations.”

Rules also create clarity, thinks Slofstra. In some areas, such as the heavily ravaged Deurnesche Peel in the spring of 2020, the parties involved are already making wildfire management plans, but this involves more than just talks with the largest site managers. “You talk about tens of thousands of owners in the Netherlands.”

Due to the drought and heat, numerous wildfires have occurred in the Netherlands in recent weeks, such as Tuesday at the Brouwersdam in South Holland and Friday at the Noord-Brabantse Schijf. On Friday, the fire service called on Rijkswaterstaat, provinces and municipalities to mow roadsides to reduce the risks of fires. An immense fire is raging in the Gironde region in southwestern France.

Also view an In Beeld about wildfires in Europe.

For the first time in two years, there is an official heat wave in the Netherlands. A temperature of 25.0 degrees was measured in De Bilt on Saturday at 10 a.m., which means that the conditions have been met, ANP and Weeronline report. For an official heat wave, it must be 25 degrees or more in De Bilt five days in a row and on three days of this the temperature must rise to 30 degrees or more.