Netherlands forest fire hits 100 hectares near Oostrum

A forest fire in a nature reserve near Oostrum in the southeast of the Netherlands had spread to 100 hectares by Tuesday afternoon and was still not under control, provincial authorities said.

The fire started around noon Monday near the village in Limburg province, close to the German border. Hundreds of firefighters were working to contain it, with firefighting helicopters dropping water on the flames.

Numerous local roads were blocked and a nearby campsite was evacuated. Dozens of fire trucks and first aid workers gathered at a hotel in the neighbouring town of Venray.

A regional safety spokesperson told the ANP news agency that the next few hours would be particularly tense because firefighters had to keep adapting to gusting winds. Authorities said earlier that changing winds had helped the fire spread.

The blaze comes as European countries face drought, water restrictions and forest fires after an unprecedented June heat wave. Scientists from World Weather Attribution warned last month that human-fuelled climate change has accelerated moisture loss from soil, lakes and rivers, increasing the risk of extreme droughts.