When temperatures rise in our country, we humans often enjoy it. But warmer, drier weather also brings risks. With summer comes the wildfire season. To be well prepared, the Gooi and Vechtstreek safety region held a large-scale wildfire response exercise.
The Scenario
During a busy climate awareness event on the Bussumerheide, featuring a sponsored run (1,000 participants), an MTB course (250 participants), and about 500 day visitors, a fire breaks out on Saturday, March 8, in a tent within an illegal overnight campsite in a wooded area. Due to the wind, the fire spreads rapidly and threatens to reach the heathland. It is unknown whether people are still in the forest area, and gas cylinders are located near the tents. A flock of sheep is within a fenced area close to the fire, while cows are roaming freely across the heath.
Realistic Simulation
To simulate the fire realistically but safely, the FireWare Bambi Wildfire simulator was used. This is a smoke generator specifically developed for wildfire simulation. Two Stratus smoke generators are placed in the Bambi and filled with special ‘extreme’ smoke fluid. An overpressure fan blows the smoke forcefully through an extended Smoke Hose Set Perforated, allowing a massive amount of smoke to spread over a length of up to 20 meters. This creates a hyper-realistic image of a ground fire spreading over a long distance.
Deployed Units
As the fire spreads across the Bussumerheide, a massive operation is required to bring it under control. A large-scale response is essential. No fewer than five wildfire vehicles and two water tankers were deployed. A reconnaissance team also joined the exercise to take measurements in the area, and the Digital Reconnaissance Team provided a vital aerial overview using a drone. The forest ranger, logistics team, incident commanders, dispatchers, and the task commander were all involved – it was truly a large-scale operation.
Well Prepared!
The exercise was a great success. The realistic conditions made it possible to learn valuable lessons. Thanks to this experience, Gooi and Vechtstreek – along with other fire stations in the region – are now better prepared to respond quickly and effectively to wildfires. If anything happens during wildfire season – the Fire Department is ready!
