Wildfire in Netherlands not fully extinguished, but under control, says authorities
The Hague: A wildfire that has burned through a nature reserve in the municipality of Venray in the southern Dutch province of Limburg is now under control. However, it has not yet been fully extinguished, the local safety authority has said.
The North Limburg Safety Region on Wednesday (local time) said mop-up operations are underway, and firefighters will continue to monitor the area to ensure that any flare-ups are detected and contained quickly.
The fire broke out on Monday. At least 100 hectares of the nature reserve have been affected, and around 300 firefighters were deployed to battle the blaze, supported by the Dutch defence helicopters, reports Xinhua news agency.
The blaze, described by the North Limburg Safety Region as “very large,” had spread across an area of undetermined size.
No injuries or property damage have been reported, and the cause of the fire is currently unknown.
According to the spokesperson, the fire department had deployed a large number of firefighters and vehicles to battle the blaze. Given the scale of the fire and the expected duration of the operation, additional firefighting units were mobilised, with crews operating in rotating fire platoons. Firefighters expect the operation to continue for a considerable time.
Meanwhile, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) had issued warnings for local thunderstorms and strong wind gusts in Limburg on Monday evening. A Code Yellow high-temperature warning remains in effect across the province, as well as in the rest of the country.
The fire department is battling the blaze with a fire platoon comprising multiple fire engines and support vehicles. Three military helicopters have also been deployed to assist with the firefighting operation.
No injuries or property damage have been reported, and the cause of the fire is currently unknown.