Flanders raises nature fire risk to code orange as dry spell grips heathland reserves
The Agentschap Natuur en Bos has raised the nature fire risk level in Flanders to code orange, the second-highest step on its four-colour scale, after a prolonged dry and warm spell left heathland, dunes and pine forest highly flammable.
In 30 seconds
- The Agentschap Natuur en Bos has raised the nature fire risk level in Flanders to code orange, the second-highest of four levels (green, yellow, orange, red).
- Code orange means a high risk of rapid fire spread; it does not automatically close nature reserves, but code red can.
- The agency asks visitors to avoid all open flame — barbecues, cigarettes, stoves — and to keep to marked paths so emergency vehicles can pass.
- Flanders' most fire-prone areas are the Kempen heath and pine plantations in Antwerp and Limburg and the coastal dunes.
The Agentschap Natuur en Bos (ANB) is the Flemish government agency, under the Flemish Ministry of Environment, that manages public nature reserves, forests and dunes in Flanders. Among its operational duties is publishing a nature fire risk indicator (natuurbrandrisico) on a four-colour scale — green (low), yellow (increased), orange (high) and red (very high) — assessed per province in coordination with the Royal Meteorological Institute's weather data and the provincial governors, who hold the legal power to close areas or impose bans. Code orange signals a high probability of rapid fire spread and triggers heightened fire-service readiness and public appeals, but not automatic closure; code red typically brings access restrictions to the most vulnerable reserves.
Background
Flanders has treated nature fire as a recurring seasonal risk since the large Kalmthoutse Heide fire of May 2011, which burned across a substantial part of the cross-border reserve and required Dutch firefighting assistance — a turning point that pushed Belgian authorities toward standardised risk levels, better cross-border coordination and aerial support arrangements. The Hoge Kempen and De Liereman areas have seen repeated smaller fires in dry springs and summers since. The underlying vulnerability is partly historical: much of the Kempen's pine forest was planted on former heathland from the nineteenth century onward for mine timber, producing dense, resinous, fire-prone stands that modern nature management has been gradually converting back to open heath.
What to do
During the alert: no barbecues, campfires, camping stoves, cigarettes or fireworks anywhere in Flemish nature areas. Park only in designated spaces — hot exhausts over dry grass are a known ignition source. Stay on marked paths so access routes stay clear. Do not leave glass or litter behind. If you see smoke or flame, call 112 immediately with as precise a location as possible rather than attempting to tackle it. Check the current risk level before travelling to a reserve, since it can change within a day.
The Belgian angle
The alert applies across Flanders, but the practical burden falls on the fire-prone reserve complexes: the Kalmthoutse Heide and De Liereman in Antwerp province, the Hoge Kempen national park and surrounding Limburg heath and pine plantations, and the coastal dunes in West Flanders. Local fire brigades in these zones move to heightened readiness, with pre-positioning of equipment and, in some municipalities, additional patrols. Reserves remain open under code orange; walkers and cyclists should expect signage at entrances and, if the level rises to red, possible closures ordered by the provincial governor.
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- 24 Jul 2026
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- 24 Jul 2026
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