In a large part of the Netherlands, there is an increased risk of wildfires because it has been dry for a long time in many areas. No precipitation is expected in the near future.
Risk phase 2 applies in at least 12 of the 25 safety regions. This means that the fire department will deploy more vehicles as standard when a wildfire is reported in order to contain the fire more quickly. The lower phase 1 still applies in Zeeland, Limburg and the northeastern part of the country, among others.
Wildfires can easily arise in dry periods and spread quickly and unpredictably. That is why the fire brigade carries out extra checks. The special surveillance aircraft Charly makes reconnaissance flights over the Veluwe and the large forest and heath areas in Utrecht.
Most wildfires are caused by human actions. That is why the fire brigade asks visitors to nature areas to be careful with fire and cigarette butts. Barbecuing with charcoal or briquettes is not allowed.
In the spring, the Netherlands already had to deal with a large number of wildfires due to the drought. For example, last March was the driest March since the start of precipitation measurements in 1906. In that month there were about eighty wildfires, while there were only nine in 2024. You can read more about the causes of wildfires and why the Netherlands is generally more susceptible to fires in the spring than in the summer in the article below.