Code orange for wildfire risk declared across Flanders as authorities urge public caution
Flemish authorities have raised the nature-fire warning to code orange across Flanders amid hot, dry conditions, urging the public to avoid open flames, dispose of cigarettes carefully and, as one warning put it, "leave no children unattended" near vulnerable…
In 30 seconds
- Flanders is under a code orange warning for the risk of nature fires, per Het Nieuwsblad.
- Code orange is the second-highest level on the Flemish nature-fire danger scale, below red.
- Authorities urge the public to avoid open flames and be careful with cigarettes and sparks.
- A warning quoted by Het Nieuwsblad urged visitors to "leave no children unattended."
A "code orange" nature-fire warning is the second-highest level on the Flemish fire-danger scale used to rate the risk of wildfires in heath, forest and dune landscapes. The scale runs from code green (low risk) through yellow, orange and red (extreme). The codes are issued for Flanders (Vlaanderen) during hot, dry periods; orange signals a serious, elevated risk requiring public caution, while red can trigger access restrictions to the most vulnerable natural areas. The Flemish nature and forest authorities and local emergency services manage the response.
Background
Belgium's Flemish region has experienced repeated serious nature fires during recent hot, dry summers, particularly in large heath and pine areas. The colour-coded warning system was designed to give the public a clear, escalating signal — from green to red — so that behaviour can adapt before conditions reach the extreme end of the scale.
What to do
Avoid open flames and barbecues outside designated spots, dispose of cigarettes and glass responsibly, keep children supervised in nature, and check for local access restrictions before visiting reserves until the warning is lifted.
The Belgian angle
The warning applies across Flanders and bears most heavily on fire-prone nature reserves such as heathlands, pine forests and coastal dunes, where rangers and emergency services will be on heightened alert and where access could be limited if conditions worsen.
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- 26 Jul 2026
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