Smoke from a massive wildfire drifted across Amsterdam on Friday, 1 May 2026, forcing the Dutch government to make a historic call. For the first time, the Netherlands requested help through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to fight wildfires that its own emergency services could not contain alone.
The largest fire burned at 't Harde in Gelderland province, on military training grounds where the army conducts artillery exercises. Germany quickly sent 21 firefighting vehicles and 67 firefighters across the border. France dispatched 41 civil security personnel with 10 vehicles, while Belgium contributed three fire trucks. Within hours, foreign crews were rolling into the eastern Dutch countryside.
Multiple blazes broke out across the country. Besides the main fire at 't Harde, another large fire burned near Weert in Limburg on military land. Fires also appeared at army bases in Brabant and Drenthe, in woodland near Noordwijk, and even on a shopping boulevard in Waalwijk. An emergency alert reached phones across several provinces.
Investigators examined whether military exercises had started the fires. The dry April weather and use of heat-producing ammunition on the ranges raised concerns. The military quickly reduced training activities and announced plans to change protocols for dry conditions. Belgium issued a "code red" alert and banned live ammunition at its ranges.
No one was hurt, but the situation highlighted a troubling trend: the Netherlands, historically safe from large wildfires, now faces drought and fire risks similar to southern Europe.