Netherlands forest fire spreads to 100 hectares

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

The fire started around Monday noon near the village in Limburg province, close to the German border. About 300 emergency workers worked overnight to contain it, and firefighting helicopters were due to resume operations on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

A nearby campsite was evacuated and trains passing through the area were suspended. A regional safety spokesperson told the ANP news agency that changing winds helped the fire spread.

Provincial authorities said drought meant fire could spread quickly in nature reserves, but they did not specify the cause of the blaze.

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