Yesterday at 8:15 PM • Edited yesterday at 10:14 PM
Kempen Airport warned Defense on Wednesday evening about the danger of wildfires in the Budel area. That warning was the latest in a series. “We have been telling Defense for months that things could go wrong,” says a spokesperson for Kempen Airport, who also does not understand why the commander of the armed forces does not want to stop training in dry areas. The reason for Wednesday’s urgent letter was the major fire at the military training area at ‘t Harde in Gelderland.
On Thursday afternoon things went completely wrong at the Weerter and Budelerbergen military training grounds. Due to an unknown cause, a fire broke out on the training ground. The flames threatened the adjacent Kempen Airport for a long time. The airport had to be evacuated for an extended period of time.
According to the airport spokesperson, training has been much more frequent and intensive lately. “There are regular exercises with hand grenades, explosives and flares and shots are fired with bullets. This can cause fire. We have been worried for months,” says the man.
He fears that hot empty shells caused the fire, although research has yet to prove this. “We have been telling Defense for months that these extreme exercises are not compatible with the airport and the industrial estate here. They are very extreme exercises now, but nothing has happened here for decades.” According to him, there have been two small fires near the airport before.
“Two large kerosene tanks and tens of millions of euros worth of aircraft were at risk.”
On Wednesday evening, after the major fire at the military training ground at ‘t Harde, the airport again sent a concerned email to the military top in The Hague. “Let’s have a conversation about that, because we realize that what happened there could also happen here.”
A day later that fear becomes reality. The major fire threatened the airport and therefore also the kerosene storage for a long time. A long wide strip next to the runway has been destroyed, according to the airport. About a hundred firefighters from the Netherlands and Belgium and two Chinooks helped extinguish the fire.
“Two large kerosene tanks and tens of millions of euros worth of aircraft were at risk,” the spokesperson said. “If that fire had spread to our grass through the ditch, the kerosene tanks would have gone into the air.” According to the Safety Region, the storage location was not in danger because the kerosene tanks are underground.
“If you want to be the big boy, you also have to compensate generously.”
At the airport they are done with it. “It’s just a lack of discipline. How is it possible that a fire breaks out at three different Defense sites in such a short time? The well is filled in when the calf has drowned.”
The spokesperson is also completely dissatisfied with the reaction of the commander of the armed forces, Onno Eichelsheim, during a press moment in Hilversum on Thursday afternoon. He sees no reason to stop exercises. “It is very annoying for bystanders, campsites and nature itself,” says Eichelsheim. “But we have to keep practicing to be ready for crises and training our people.”
An incomprehensible reaction, according to the Kempen Airport spokesperson: “They just want to continue with exercises. Yes, it will be fine, but then you also have to solve the matter. If you want to be the big boy, then as a government you must also ensure that the people affected by this are generously compensated.”
In July last year it was announced that Defense wanted to buy Kempen Airport. There was a letter of intent on the table for the takeover and the intention was for the sale to be completed before the end of 2025. But according to the airport, that purchase is still not completely completed. Defense also has plans to expand the military site with a training village.
This month, Kempen Airport also had a dispute with Defense. The airport halted military exercises with drones because the safety of the airspace was said to be at risk. Kempen Airport is responsible for the safety of the airspace near the Weerterheide.
