NATO & Defense

Major wildfire caused by explosives during military exercise: "This should not have happened"

Photo: Ministry of Defense

The major wildfire that broke out in late April at the military training area near ’t Harde was caused during a Defence exercise involving explosives. This emerges from an investigation by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee.

From the cabinet

Derk Boswijk, Minister for Arms Procurement and Personnel, responded: “This should not have happened, and we take this very seriously. The impact on local residents and the living environment is significant. We will carefully review what went wrong. Together with the safety regions, we are revising our procedures. Until then, exercises during dry conditions have been adjusted.”

What happened?

The fire started on 29 April at the Artillery Firing Range ’t Harde and spread rapidly due to persistent drought. Hundreds of hectares of nature along the A28 motorway went up in flames, and smoke was visible and smelled far beyond the immediate area.

Investigations

According to the Marechaussee, no safety regulations were violated during the exercise. The Public Prosecution Service has concluded its investigation; the findings will be handed over to the Ministry of Defence to assess whether protocols need to be adjusted.

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