A forest fire broke out Monday in a protected woodland in southeastern Netherlands, destroying 210 hectares of land as firefighters continued battling the flames late into the afternoon, authorities said.
The fire started around midday in a protected woodland near the village of Oostrum, in the southeastern province of Limburg.
Provincial authorities said on their website that the drought meant the fire could spread quickly through protected natural areas, without specifying the exact cause of the blaze.
Emergency Response
Firefighters were deployed and worked with support from three military Chinook helicopters. A nearby campsite was evacuated, and train services crossing the area were suspended until 11 p.m.
Wider Drought Concerns
European countries are facing severe drought, marked by dried-up waterways, water restrictions and destructive wildfires following a record heatwave in June. A study released on July 23 by the World Weather Attribution group of scientists found that existing global warming has accelerated the loss of moisture from soils, lakes and waterways across Europe, increasing the risk of extreme drought conditions.
