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🇧🇪 Belgium /Disasters & Emergencies

Belgian couple volunteers to fight wildfires in Portugal

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Belgian couple Thijs Degryse and Isolde Ureel are volunteering to help fight wildfires in Portugal this summer.
  • The couple, experienced firefighters, are part of ERA Belgium, an organization supporting Portuguese fire services.
  • They will work in shifts, assisting at fire stations with staffing shortages, and aim to expand their support to other Southern European countries in the future.

Belgian couple Thijs Degryse and Isolde Ureel are heading to Portugal this summer to volunteer their firefighting skills against the country's notorious natural fires. Thijs, 38, is making his third trip, while Isolde, 41, will be joining for the first time. Both have years of experience as volunteer firefighters, with Thijs soon to become a professional.

If we can help, then we must do it.

— Thijs and IsoldeThe couple expressed their motivation for volunteering in Portugal.

They are participating through ERA Belgium, a young non-profit organization that mobilizes trained firefighters from Belgium to support Portuguese fire departments during the high-risk wildfire season. The organization has seen rapid growth, with around 70 Flemish volunteers expected to deploy this summer, and a waiting list of others eager to help.

The volunteers will work in week-long shifts, staying at Portuguese fire stations and integrating into daily operations. Their primary goal is to bolster the capacity of local fire services during their busiest period. "We go to stations where they really need extra personnel," Isolde explained, noting their upcoming deployment to the north of Portugal where there is a significant shortage.

We go to stations where they really need extra personnel.

— Isolde UreelShe explained the deployment strategy of ERA Belgium.

While ERA Belgium currently focuses on Portugal, where establishing contacts was easier due to existing relationships, they plan to expand their efforts to other Southern European nations like France and Greece in the future. Thijs shared his past experiences, recalling an immediate deployment upon arrival during his first trip and a quieter second year due to wetter weather. He anticipates this summer could be more challenging due to warm, dry, and windy conditions.

It's really an exchange.

— Thijs and IsoldeThe couple described the mutual learning process with Portuguese firefighters.

"It's really an exchange," the couple stated, highlighting how Portuguese firefighters share their extensive expertise in natural and forest fires, while the Belgian volunteers contribute knowledge on other types of interventions. Despite occasional communication barriers, they emphasize the invaluable practical experience gained and the satisfaction of helping others.

That experience you don't learn from a book.

— Isolde UreelShe commented on the practical learning gained through firefighting.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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