Kortenaken (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A 50-meter roadside fire in Waanrode, near Kortenaken, was brought under control by firefighters. Authorities urge the public not to discard cigarette butts carelessly.
According to Jeroen Ameel of the Flemish Brabant East Emergency Service Zone, the fire, which had extended over the 50 meters, was most likely brought on by the continuing drought.
The primary cause of the extensive smoke development in the Waanrode was the roadside fire. The fire was put out quite soon.
More than fifty meters had already been burned by the roadside fire. Once more, the town of Kortenaken and the fire department urge people to avoid starting fires and, most importantly, to not discard cigarette butts.
“It is never allowed to throw cigarette butts on the ground, but now with this persistent dry weather it is certainly not allowed.
If you are having a barbecue, be careful and have sand and the water ready. Do not make an open fire, not even in your own garden and certainly not in a nature reserve,”
Ameel adds.
What measures are being taken to prevent future roadside fires in the Kortenaken area?
There is less dry, combustible material next to roads when roadside vegetation is regularly mowed, pruned, and cleared. Fire risk is greatly reduced by keeping grass low (e.g., about 10 cm) during fire danger seasons and by clearing away dry or dead plant matter.
It is possible to keep ignition sources from coming into contact with flammable vegetation by establishing fuel-free buffer zones along roadsides, such as cleared pull-over lanes or verges devoid of combustible material. This is particularly crucial in the vicinity of picnic places and rest areas where fires may be started by dropped cigarettes or car sparks.
Campaigns to inform locals and drivers about the dangers of fire, particularly during dry spells, promote responsible behavior such as avoiding open flames, reporting fires as soon as they occur, and not throwing cigarettes from cars.
