Wildfires surge in the Netherlands as climate change alters vegetation and fuels fires

 

Thursday, 22 May 2025 - 22:00

https://nltimes.nl/2025/05/22/wildfires-surge-netherlands-climate-change-alters-vegetation-fuels-fires

 

Wildfires surge in the Netherlands as climate change alters vegetation and fuels fires

 

The Netherlands is confronting an escalating climate crisis marked by a sharp rise in wildfires and increasing social vulnerabilities linked to extreme weather events, experts and government advisers say. Emergency services and climate researchers warn the country is ill-prepared for the intensifying impacts of climate change, both in terms of natural disasters and their social consequences, according to Trouw.

 

Wildfires in the Netherlands have surged in number and severity, driven by climate change and shifting vegetation patterns. In 2023, a notably dry year, the country recorded 405 wildfires. Despite wetter conditions in 2024 and only 170 fires, 2025 is on track to surpass the dry year’s total. Jelmer Dam, national coordinator for wildfire management at the Dutch Institute for Public Safety (NIPV), reported that through April 2025, 328 wildfire reports have already been logged, with about 80 percent confirmed as actual fires.

 

Wally Paridaans of Veiligheidsregio Brabant-Zuidoost, the regional safety authority for Southeast Brabant, highlighted the evolving wildfire risks. He told Trouw that climate change is altering vegetation across the country, and new plant growth burns differently than the older flora firefighters are accustomed to.

 

Paridaans pointed to the 2020 wildfire that destroyed roughly 710 hectares of the Deurnsche Peel peat bogs. Since then, land managers increased water saturation to reduce fire risk. “Before 2020, many ferns grew there. Now hardly any remain because the ground is much wetter,” he said. These ferns have largely been replaced by shrubs and deciduous trees, which generally improve fire safety but also present new challenges. “The fire brigade has less experience with how these burn,” Paridaans added.

 

This shift in vegetation is not limited to Deurnsche Peel but is seen across his safety region and reported by nature managers nationwide.

 

Hans Cornelissen, systems ecology professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, gave further examples. The robinia tree, native to North America and introduced to Europe, is spreading on Dutch sandy soils. “It has very dense wood with high energy content and flaky bark that ignites easily,” Cornelissen told Trouw, noting the tree burns intensely.

 

Another fire risk is the Douglas fir on the Veluwe, which produces large amounts of resin-rich dead wood. Cornelissen explained, “There is a lot of oxygen flow, which encourages fire,” as fallen needles and twigs create an airy forest floor conducive to combustion.

 

Climate change is also causing mass die-offs of black pine trees. Mart Vlam, a forest ecology researcher at Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, told Trouw the resulting dry, dead wood supports biodiversity by attracting insects and fungi and enriching soil nutrients but warned, “It is extremely dry and highly flammable.”

 

Nitrogen deposition compounds wildfire risks by promoting uniform vegetation dominated by grasses, which burn faster than heath, Dam explained. “In virtually any heathland in the Netherlands, grasses are increasing.”

 

Vlam added that forest undergrowth of herbs and grasses is expanding and dries out early in spring, further increasing fire hazards.

 

Dam detailed climate trends intensifying wildfire conditions: “More rainfall falls in shorter bursts, dry spells are longer and more frequent, and winters are wetter and milder. This extends the growing season.” Heat and drought dry out grasses, small plants, and even larger trees, enabling fires to spread faster.

 

Despite the rising threat, Dam acknowledged the country is not yet ready. “We are originally a very wet country with a lot of fuel in our natural areas. Are we ready? No. But have we started preparing? Yes.” Fire departments have responded by increasing resources, including deploying large firefighting equipment in Drunen in April to combat a wildfire.

 

Alongside environmental challenges, the Dutch Scientific Council for Government Policy (Wetenschappelijke Raad voor het Regeringsbeleid, WRR) warns government climate policies focus too narrowly on physical protection, neglecting the social consequences of extreme weather such as drought, heatwaves, and heavy rainfall.

 

The WRR highlights that vulnerable populations — especially those with low incomes or limited social networks — face disproportionate risks. The council notes evacuations can increase loneliness, and heatwaves hit harder for students living in small, warm homes compared to those in comfortable, cool residences. The council also warns that trust in government and community may erode when some citizens cannot afford costs tied to damage, like foundation problems caused by prolonged drought.

 

Social cohesion is critical for society to withstand disasters, the WRR states. The council urges investment in social infrastructure to strengthen community resilience. It recommends supporting public spaces such as libraries, train stations, and recreational facilities, which serve as venues for reliable information, social connection, and “climate shelters” that provide aid and refuge during emergencies.