Increased risk of wildfires due to drought in parts of Noord & Zuid-Holland

Four regions in Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland are at an increased risk of wildfires due to drought. The involved safety regions have scaled up to the highest alarm level, warning that due to drought and high temperatures, fires can develop “quickly and unpredictably,” NOS reports.

The regions involved are Alkmaar and surroundings (region Noord-Holland Noord), Haarlem (Kennemerland), the region around The Hague (Haaglanden), and the coastal area between Katwijk and Noordwijk (Hollands Midden).

The highest alarm level means that the fire brigade responds with more vehicles and people. “Normally, we deploy two fire engines and a reconnaissance vehicle,” a spokesperson for Veligheidsregio Hollands Midden told Omroep West. “Now, we deploy a reconnaissance vehicle, four fire engines, and a water truck with 10,000 liters of water.” According to the security region, wildfires are “erratic and difficult to combat,” especially when there is also a strong wind.

Wildfires are often caused by sparks, cigarettes, and barbecues. “If a forest is dry, something small is enough to cause a large fire,” the spokesperson said.

The security regions urged people to be “extra alert.”

While these four regions are facing drought, other parts of the Netherlands are getting more rain than usual. July was another exceptionally wet month, Weeronline reported. Since October 2023, every month except for March and June has gotten more rain than typical.