In the Paaskamp nature reserve near Assen, a plot measuring approximately four hundred by three hundred meters was destroyed by fire in the night from Thursday to Friday. Firefighters from the surrounding area were called in to help put out the fire.
The nature reserve in question is located near a Defense site and is overgrown with heather and there are also trees. The fire was reported just before midnight, say Mariëtte Sieders and Jeroen Luider, respectively chief officer and duty officer at the fire brigade. A great alarm was immediately raised.
Fire stations from Assen-east, Assen-west, Smilde, Westerbork, Norg, Appelscha and Dwingeloo were called and because of the smoke development, an NL Alert was issued as a precaution that people in the area had to close their windows. Several roads were closed to traffic.
The fire brigade, which was present with about 25 vehicles, took water from the De Vaart canal to extinguish the fire. A logistics center was set up at contractor Timmermans. The fire was under control around 3:30 p.m. After that it was extinguished for quite some time. An additional check by the fire brigade will be carried out in the morning hours on Friday. The cause of the fire is still unclear.