Overview
- The fire started near Oosterduinpad and Middelduinpad and, after a response that lasted more than seven hours, the Veiligheidsregio says only underground hot spots remain to be extinguished.
- Crews immediately escalated the response and deployed about 150 firefighters, dozens of vehicles, drones to locate smouldering roots, and a 'natte stoplijn' of hoses to wet surrounding vegetation.
- A Defensie Chinook used a 7,600‑litre Bambi Bucket drawing freshwater from the Haringvliet to drop water on the blaze, with aerial operations ending around sunset just before 21:30.
- Around 2,000 square metres of dune habitat were destroyed and one firefighter was seriously injured after being struck by a fire vehicle and taken to hospital; national officials publicly thanked the emergency services.
- The incident follows a similar dune fire earlier in the week at Goedereede and comes during a nationwide drought that raises natural‑fire risk, which could force future changes to water sourcing and prepositioning of fresh supplies for coastal blazes.