Limburg wildfire smoke reaches Friesland and Drenthe

Smoke from the wildfire in northern Limburg is drifting as far north as Friesland and Drenthe, where emergency control rooms have been swamped with calls.

Safety authorities have asked people not to ring 112 unless they can actually see a fire, broadcaster NOS reported. The smell of the smoke has also been reported across Gelderland, including in Apeldoorn, Nijmegen and Doesburg, and across the German border in the Kleve district, according to German broadcaster WDR.

The fire, which started in the Boschhuizerbergen nature reserve near Oostrum, burned through at least 100 hectares, the Limburg-Noord emergency services authority said. A possible thunderstorm this evening could help quell the blaze.

An NL-Alert was sent out warning people to stay out of the smoke and close windows, doors and ventilation.

A spokesperson said that tackling the fire was tougher than expected and that wildfires can behave unpredictably.

Venray mayor Michiel Uitdehaag said firefighting would continue until at least 9am on Wednesday but that so far there had been no property damage or injuries. A nearby campsite was evacuated on Monday.

Two military helicopters are dropping water drawn from the Maas.

The fire started in dense woodland and sand drifts that fire engines cannot reach, NOS reported, and the wind keeps turning, sending the fire in different directions.

Not enough vehicles
The Dutch fire service does not have enough specialist wildfire vehicles because such fires are rare, Daan Peeters of the Nederweert brigade told NOS.

The vehicles being used at Venray were brought in from the centre of the country. Other fire services already have them, and more brigades should, he said, adding that the question was not when the next forest fire would come but where.