Heavy forest fire in Clinge: fire extinguished, but fire brigade tries to prevent flames from flaring up again (Sint-Gillis-Waas)

Around 2 p.m., fireplaces were noticed in the extensive forest area of ​​4,500 square meters in size. Fire brigades from the surrounding municipalities came to the scene to fight fire. The fire was accompanied by heavy smoke that moved towards Hulst.

For a moment the operational phase of the Rampplan was announced. The walkers in the forest could be evacuated. Around half past three the fire brigade announced that the situation is under control. The flames are extinguished and smoke development has fallen sharply. The fire brigade still extinguishes the many smoldering remains.

« The fire is under control and is tackled on all sides by corps from the Netherlands and Belgium, » says Koen Daniëls (N-VA), the mayor of Sint-Gillis-Waas. « There are also cars from the zone edge. The Kalmthout forces have more experience with this type of burning and they also have vehicles that can go deeper into the forest. »

Drone images show how the fire brigade fights the forest fire in the Clinge. – © Carlo Coppejans

« The fire was completely extinguished, » the police reported at a little after 7 p.m. « The work of the fire brigade has been completed. The Dutch fire brigade will still carry out a fire watch to check whether the forest fire is still flaring up in one place. » The fire brigade has wet the edges of the area to prevent the fire from flaring up again.

The forest is completely on Dutch territory, but the fastest access is in our country. It is a forest with numerous dead and therefore very dry spruce, which are affected by the letter setter. That is a kind of wood -eating beetle.