Forest fires: After Spain and France, is Belgium next? 'We regularly have fires affecting several hectares'

While Belgium does not face the megafires seen in Spain or Greece, its fire services are preparing for an increase in the number and size of forest fires.

Colonel Stéphane Thiry, commander of the Luxembourg rescue zone, noted that while direct comparisons to southern Europe are misleading due to different forest types and issues, Belgium is experiencing more frequent fires affecting several hectares. He attributes this to increasingly dry conditions.

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We must not compare France and Belgium. These are not the same forest massifs nor the same problems. It is very unlikely that we will experience fires of the scale of those in the Var. On the other hand, we are observing an increase in the number of fires and the areas affected. The forests are drier and we regularly have fires affecting several hectares.

To address this, Belgian firefighters are adopting French training methods and adapting them to local realities, resources, and equipment. The country is also upgrading its fire trucks to be effective in both urban and forest environments. Although Belgium lacks the large lakes needed for water-bombing aircraft like Canadairs, it utilizes a Bambi Bucket system for helicopters to drop water on fires.

Politically, the federal minister for climate, Jean-Luc Crucke, has allocated funds for a project to map future fire risks more accurately. An inter-federal plan is also underway to improve coordination between different levels of government, aiming for better anticipation and management of fire threats.

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We sent officers to follow the French 'Forest Fires' training. We did not want to reinvent what already existed. This doctrine was then adapted to Belgian reality, to our means and our equipment.