Firefighters face surge in wildfires; 166 incidents already reported in 2025
Dutch firefighters are battling a sharp increase in wildfires, with 166 reports filed so far this year — nearly matching the total number for all of 2024, according to NOS. According to the Nederlands Instituut Publieke Veiligheid (Netherlands Institute for Public Safety), which compiles data for emergency services, April has already seen 43 wildfire reports, despite being less than a week old.
In 2024, there were 211 wildfire reports across the country. Of those, 170 were confirmed as actual wildfires. This year’s count of confirmed fires will be announced at a later date, but emergency services are warning the public of a dangerously high risk level.
All regions in the Netherlands are now at risk level two, the second-highest warning tier. That designation indicates a high chance of wildfires breaking out. The elevated threat is expected to remain in place, said Wally Paridaans, wildfire management specialist with the Veiligheidsregio Brabant-Zuidoost. “We are monitoring the weather forecasts with some tension,” he told NOS.
In recent weeks, wildfires have broken out in various parts of the country. These include a nighttime blaze on the border of Noord-Brabant and Limburg, a forest fire in the Sallandse Heuvelrug, and a fast-spreading fire on the outskirts of Ridderkerk. Earlier this week, a large wildfire ignited near Ede during a military training exercise.
The combination of prolonged drought, low humidity, and strong winds is creating highly flammable conditions. In Budel-Dorplein, firefighters had trouble containing the flames due to high wind. “Because of the persistent drought, the fire spread rapidly,” officials reported.
In Arnhem, local authorities have installed warning signs at every entrance to the Koningsheide, alerting visitors to the high risk of wildfire. Boswachter (forest ranger) Maurits de Groot, speaking on behalf of the municipality, emphasized the many ways wildfires can start.
“A wildfire can be caused in many ways,” De Groot told NOS. “Open flames, a discarded cigarette, broken glass, or the hot exhaust of a parked car in tall grass — all of it can trigger a fire.”
De Groot also warned that the Veluwe region is especially vulnerable. “We are on dry sandy soil, and not enough rain has fallen. The vegetation hasn’t started to grow yet and consists of dry material that is highly flammable,” he said.
“The forests here are mostly coniferous,” he added. “These uniform forests are unhealthy and therefore more vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change. Heat and drought can lead to a higher risk of forest fires.”
On Friday, emergency responders in Gelderland conducted two surveillance flights from Vliegveld Teuge. The goal was to detect any early signs of wildfires from the air.
Brandweercommandant (fire chief) Anton Slofstra urged the public to act responsibly. “The risk is high,” he said to NOS. “Due to the strong wind and dry vegetation, a small fire can develop very quickly. We advise people not to do anything careless in nature that could lead to a wildfire, and to report any early signs of fire immediately.”
