Fire risk in Flemish nature areas
The Flemish nature and forestry agency has declared a code orange emergency in woodlands and spots of natural beauty across northern Belgium. The agency warns that due to protracted dry conditions there’s a high fire risk. It has asked people to desist from lighting fires or smoking cigarettes in nature areas at least till Monday.
Children too should be supervised. Fire services and those in charge of nature areas have been asked to be vigilant. Fire service details will deploy in larger numbers than usual when fires occur in nature areas.
Alain Habils of the Flemish Brabant fire service told VRT that just because everything looked green on the outside it didn’t mean things couldn’t easily ignite.
People are advised not to throw burning fag ends out of car windows and to be careful with refuse as in extraordinary circumstances discarded glass could ignite a fire.