One injured in campsite fire; Other large wildfires cause alarm
One person was injured after a large fire broke out at a campground and vacation park in Nutter, Overijssel on Monday. The fire was one of several which led authorities to distribute an NL-Alert to warn citizens to stay away from the area, and keep clear of smoke.
The large fire broke out at around 1 p.m. on Monday at Camping & Bungalowpark Bij De Bronnen about three kilometers from the Dutch-German border. Five chalets were completely burned out and several gas cylinders exploded by the time the fire service brought the blaze under control at around 2:30 p.m., according to the local newspaper Tubantia.
The victim of the fire was reportedly rushed to a hospital in the nearby town of Almelo, where he was treated for burns to his face and his arm. He was hospitalized from wounds suffered while trying to extinguish the blaze as it raged through the caravan park there.
The caravan park was nearly empty when the blaze first struck, according to reports. Dry conditions and strong winds in the area led to the fire's rapid spread and a large amount of smoke, prompting authorities to advise local residents to keep windows and doors temporarily shut.
Wildfires in the south and east
The incident comes as multiple other wildfires gripped of parts of the country on Monday. According to the broadcaster NOS, reports of fires breaking out have surfaced in the Mariapeel Nature Reserve and in Herkenbosch, both in Limburg. No injuries have so far been reported as a result of either incident.
Wildfires, which occasionally break out in the Netherlands, are greatly exacerbated by periods of drought. According to the national fire brigade, wildfires can "quickly get out of hand" and are notoriously "erratic and difficult to control".
"Wildfires can spread through trees at lightning speed and can unexpectedly pop up on the ground," the organization warns the public. "The greatest danger to people is that they get trapped by the fire and cannot get away."
