This Friday morning, a fire broke out in the military area of ??Brecht, north of Brasschaat (Belgium), during a shooting exercise by the 11th Engineer Battalion. After several hours of fighting against the flames, with the assistance of Dutch helicopters, the situation was back under control on Saturday.
Military personnel on-site promptly called in the fire department. The fire nonetheless spread throughout the firing range, causing heavy smoke to spread in the region.
A Federal Police MD902 Explorer helicopter fitted with a Bambi bucket tried to extinguish the fire, but its capacity is limited to 900 litres per drop. Later in the day support came from the Royal Netherlands Air Force who sent two CH47D Chinook helicopters from airbase Gilze-Rijen, also equipped with Bambi buckets with a capacity of up to 10,000 litres each. 11th Engineer battalion bulldozers were called in to the rescue.
The provincial phase of the disaster plan has been initiated. As a precaution, a few houses on the outskirts of the military area were evacuated.
Belgian Defence apologises to the population for the inconvenience caused by this fire and thanks the firefighters, Belgian and Dutch, the military and all the people who helped in the fight against this fire.
Inzet met #blushelikopters in #Brecht is beëindigd. Onze #Chinooks zijn weer terug op vliegbasis @gilzerijen na een intensieve ochtend #blussen. Wat een samenwerking met alle hulpdiensten en partners op de grond. #samensterk @GemeenteBrecht @BWZoneRand @VNOGregio @Brandweer_NL pic.twitter.com/1Ek2O4wYHm
— DHC Luchtmacht (@dhcluchtmacht) April 24, 2021
Nu het donker is, zijn onze #blushelikopters weer terug op vliegbasis Gilze-Rijen. Alle hulpdiensten op de grond en ter plaatse in #Brecht gaan onverminderd door. @GemeenteBrecht @BWZoneRand @VNOGregio @gilzerijen pic.twitter.com/XnAAOl3IeZ
— DHC Luchtmacht (@dhcluchtmacht) April 23, 2021
Een tweede #Chinook is zojuist vertrokken om te assisteren bij het blussen in #Brecht. De heli is incl #BambiBucket vertrokken vanaf de vliegbasis. De Bambi Bucket is de oranje waterzak onder de heli en heeft een max capaciteit van 10.000L. @GemeenteBrecht @BWZoneRand @VNOGregio pic.twitter.com/8lTnxkqZN7
— DHC Luchtmacht (@dhcluchtmacht) April 23, 2021
The situation was said NOT to be under control even on Saturday morning (Gazet van Antwerpen), so how could it have been under control in a matter of hours on Friday?
Gilze-Rijen (not Tijen).
Thanks! Corrected for Gilze-Rijen.
Several hours does not necessarily mean Friday evening.