A very large forest fire broke out at the Loonse and Drunense Duinen in Drunen on Saturday afternoon around a quarter past three. Around five o’clock an NL-Alert was sent with the call to leave the forest area.
The NL-Alert was sent to guarantee the safety of recreationists in the area. People are asked to leave the forest area immediately. The clouds of the fire head towards Waalwijk and can be seen in the wider area.
Due to the size of the fire, the fire brigade is present with several units of several fire brigades. The Noord Safety Region receives support from the Central and West Brabant Safety Region.
There are dozens of fire trucks at the large forest fire, including from Helvoirt, Nistelrode and Schaijk.
“We have scaled up and are in the highest phase of natural fire risks. The power of the wind ensures that the fire is spreading quickly, the temperature is high and it has been dry for some time,” explains a spokesperson for the Safety Region of Central and West Brabant.
Extinguish or make manageable
“The fire brigade is busy mapping the area. They are also extinguishing. It must be looked at whether the fire can be extinguished completely or whether the fire should be made manageable because the fire does not go out immediately,” says the spokesperson around a quarter past four.
A lot of smoke is released at the forest fire. A farmer in Drunen has taken his cows from the country. The clouds of smoke are pulling over campsites in the forest area. From Loon op Zand, Berkel-Enschot, Kaatsheuvel, Wijk and Aalburg and ‘s-Hertogenbosch West, people see the large clouds of smoke.
Stay out of the smoke
The safety region calls on people to stay out of the smoke. “We understand that the weather is nice, but go inside in the event of smoking nuisance. Close windows and doors and turn off the ventilation,” writes the safety region.