In Most Dutch Safety Regions, The Fire Department, Currently is extra alert to Wildfires. Experts see that our country is Increasingly Focused on these fires. However, the approach is complex, making the steps Sometimes narrower than desired.
Four years ago, For Experts, IT Wasn’t a Question of Ifh, but when the Netherlands would experience an uncontrollable wildfire. They cleanly stated then that our country was not well prepared for it. Due to Warmer and Drier Periods, The Chance of Uncontrollable Wildfires is Increasing.
Experts See the Approach Now in A Transitional Phase. Edwin Kok, coordinator of the Taskforce Wildfires at the Fire Department, Tells NU.nl “We Really Need to Adapt Faster Than Many Think.” Especially in prevention, there is still much to be gained. Bertram de Rooij, Firefighter and Researcher, Compares It To Good Care. “Prevention is better than cure,” he says.
Accordance to the experts, significant steps have leg tasks in the past four years. Politicians are freeing up money for combating fires, and safety regions are Taking Measures. But a Quick approach remains Difficult.
The experts See a Lack of National Coordination. This role Lies with the ministry of agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN), But the concrete approach Falls Directly or Indirectly Under Multiple Ministries. MoreOover, the 25 Safety Regions in the Netherlands Mainly Work Separately from Each Other. Kok: “While this cooperation and mutual coordination between safety regions are important for the control.”
Money for Approach, but also cuts
Last year, Politicians Finally Opened the Purse Strings for a Better Approach. The Ministry of LVVN Made 70 Million Euros Available for Wildfire Management. Among Other Things, A National Center of Expertise Has Been Set Up, Reports De Rooij.
That helps to brush up the knowledge of so-called site managers such as provinces and muticipalities, he sees. “When setting up new nature areas or new residential areas, this can be tasks into account more often. Fortunately, it is Increasingly Being discussed.”
Recently, the house of representatives also unanimously adopted a motion calling for laws and measures to prevent and limit wildfires. But Kok does not always see the good intentions reflected in practice.
At the beginning of 2024, the Fire Department Itelf Came Up With a Vision and Implementation Plan with Propose Measures. Kok: “That requests money. Then we see the ministry of LVVN Frees Up Money, While the Ministry of Justice and Security is cutting back on the safety regions and fire district. THEN we can hardly develop furt.”
Many Local Initiatives
Locally, there are many initiatives, explains cook. For example, there are campsites that remove flammaable trees theme Themselves and Conduct Fire drills. Safety Regions also Still do a Lot Independently. “They purchase their own material,” Says Kok. “If your region does not have forests, for example, you do not buy certain material. You could better coordinate that so that you can help each other more effective.”
Accordance to the fire coordinator, a National Framework is missing. “In One Area, The Cooperation Between the Parties Involved is Smoher Than In Another.” Also, only limited information is Kept About Wildfires. In Addition to Numbers, You also Want to Measure “Fire Behavior,” Says Kok. “How High Were the Flames? WHY VEGETATION Burned the Most? That Knowledge Helps You In The Future.”
The Regions Themselves Keep Track of the Wildfire Risk That Applies. Accordance to Kok, That System Still Needs to Be “Further Developed.” Currently, there are two flavors in the wildfire risks: regular (phase 1) Extra alert (phase 2).
Kok: “There are no hard limits for these phases; safety risks determine that themelves. Only two options do not say much. In April, The Risk of Wildfires was much greater than now, but it was also phase 2.” The Map from Last Thorsday Below Shows That Two Regions Do Not Keep Track of these Risks at All.
‘You Don’t Want To Get Rid of Wildfires Completely’
The experts see that the Netherlands Will not Quickly Run Into Problems in Terms of Material. But it is also about how you use that material effective. De Rooij Helped with Extingughing the Fires in Spain for Two Week This Summer. That is out of solidarity, but the dutch fire department also learns a lot from it.
De Rooij Saw How the Spaniards Did Not Imdiately Go to a Fire. Their method: “Stand Still and Observe. What resources do I have? They couldughugh Effective with small hoses. They looked at how they could be the terrain to, for example, enclose the fire.” In Addition, it is important to learn to operate when there are multiple fires.
The experts Emphasize That You Do Not Want To Prevent Wildfires 100 percent, But You Must Keep Them Manageablet. “It is also a child or rejuvenation cycle of nature,” Says de Rooij. “They are very normal, in spain and also with us. Only the intensity determines Whether they can disrupt a society.”
Also, Designing Nature Can Be More Fire-Safe In The Netherlands
Even nature can be designed to be more fire-safe, explains forest fire expert Guido van der Werf Based on an Example.
“In The Netherlands, there are QUITE A FEW PINE FORESTS in Dune are. They planted a hundred years ago to support mines with that wood. Pine trees grow quickly but also relatively flammable. Higher Moisture Content and Are Therefore Less Susceptible to Flames. “