Netherlands fire risk stays high as drought persists

Despite a lack of large nature fires in recent weeks, the Netherlands remains vulnerable to wildfires because of ongoing drought and high temperatures. Edwin Kok, national coordinator for nature fire management with the fire service, warned that the risk will not subside without weeks of significant rainfall. He noted that conditions improved after June rains, which increased soil moisture and reduced wind, but repeated heatwaves and low humidity could still trigger fires.

Kok is traveling to Catalonia to study fire‑management practices there, where recent fires have been contained by allowing central areas to smolder while protecting the edges. He cited the 2020 peat fire in the Deurnese Peel, which burned underground for two months, as an example of how long‑lasting fires can develop when organic material fuels them.