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🇧🇪 Belgium /Environment & Climate

Natuurpunt warns after finding forest game with candles in nature reserve: 'Play with water, not fire'

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Natuurpunt warns against playing with fire in nature reserves after finding a forest game with candles in Kiewit.
  • The game involved children extinguishing tea lights with water pistols, which conservator Eric Goossens deemed irresponsible due to current dry conditions.
  • With Flanders experiencing a record number of wildfires and being under a "code orange" alert, Natuurpunt urges people to play with water, not fire.

Natuurpunt, a nature conservation organization, has issued a stern warning against playing with fire in nature reserves, particularly after a concerning discovery in the Kiewit nature reserve. The organization is urging young people to exercise extreme caution, emphasizing the literal meaning of not playing with fire.

Nice idea, but totally irresponsible now.

— Eric GoossensDescribing the forest game involving tea lights.

During a recent weekend, the conservator of the Kiewit nature reserve stumbled upon a forest game activity. Participants were instructed to extinguish tea lights using water pistols. Eric Goossens of Natuurpunt Hasselt-Zonhoven expressed his dismay, calling the game "totally irresponsible" given the current environmental conditions.

Those tea lights were lying between the wood on the ground. It can't be more fire-hazardous, especially with this drought.

— Eric GoossensExplaining the fire risk posed by the game.

Goossens immediately removed the tea lights, which were found amidst dry wood on the ground, to mitigate the risk of a fire. He stressed that even small flames can have severe consequences during this period of drought. Flanders has already recorded a high number of wildfires this year, and the region is currently under a "code orange" alert, indicating a significant fire risk.

You hear every day on the news that fires are breaking out somewhere, it can happen here too. We are in code orange, nature is bone dry, and Flanders has already had a record number of wildfires this year.

— Eric GoossensHighlighting the current fire risk in Flanders.

While the organizers of the forest game remain unidentified and the act was likely not malicious, Natuurpunt is using this incident to reinforce its message. Goossens implored the public to avoid making any fires in nature reserves while the "code orange" alert is in effect. He suggested that youth groups should opt for water-based games rather than those involving fire. Natuurpunt plans to collaborate with the fire department and other nature reserves to develop a comprehensive plan for addressing potential wildfires.

These games might be fun, but totally irresponsible now.

— Eric GoossensEmphasizing the danger of the game given the conditions.
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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