Scherpenheuvel-Zichem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Fire personnel warn citizens to exercise caution because of recent fires which started near Diest roads and within Scherpenheuvel-Zichem heathlands. “After the wet winter, people think it’s still wet, but after an exceptionally dry and sunny March, we’re already struggling with drought,” says spokesman Jeroen Ameel.
The fire department issued a cautionary warning after fires occurred near roads in Diest as well as in the heathlands of Scherpenheuvel-Zichem. Jeroen Ameel from the fire department explains that drought conditions have emerged after an unusually dry March caused by the wet winter, and created elevated fire risks.
The fire department reports that such incidents have become more common, even though firefighters successfully contained recent fires. The area of Flemish Brabant continues to operate under code yellow status to maintain caution without indicating an active threat.
“Those fires were not that big, but we noticed that the fires follow each other more quickly,”
says Jeroen Ameel of the Oost Vlaams-Brabant Emergency Service Zone.
“After the wet winter, many people think that it is still wet, but March was exceptionally dry and sunny, which means that we are already dealing with drought, and fires can start more quickly,”
he explains.
At the moment, code yellow applies in Flemish Brabant , which means that there is no acute danger yet, but vigilance is still required.
“Burning weeds also doesn’t seem like a good idea now, I advise everyone to wait until it has rained.”
And rain is indeed coming.
“The weather forecasts are good in that respect,”
says Ameel.
“So we don’t have to panic yet, but we do have to be careful.”
What is the historical fire risk and climate context in Flemish Brabant?
Changing weather patterns have led to increased fire risks across the region of Flemish Brabant which includes both Diest and Scherpenheuvel-Zichem. The Flemish Environment Agency ranks March 2024 as one of the 5 driest months of the past ten years since rainfall levels dropped by 60% below typical measurements. Belgian Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) historical data reveals that early spring dry periods have extended by 30% during the last two decades, leading to higher wildfire dangers across Belgium.
Fire department records show that the area recorded an average of 15 vegetation fires monthly during dry seasons spanning 2020 through 2023, and human activities were responsible for these fires as people left behind cigarettes and started agricultural burns without supervision. The Emergency Services Zone Oost Vlaams-Brabant received 25% more fire emergency calls during the early months of 2024 when compared to the corresponding time frame in 2023.
During dry seasons, the national guidelines of Belgium identify Flemish Brabant as a moderate-risk area (Code Yellow) wherein wildfires primarily threaten heathlands and both sides of roads. The EFFIS database shows climate predictions that indicate worsening dry conditions across the area, which underlines the importance of public fire prevention strategies.
